UC-NRLF 


CO 


_9 

r6 


>^      -^     x|r      4>:      ^,      ),^     ><^      ,«y     ><§K     X^     »<^ 


p 


i^ 


PRUNELLA 

OR 

LOVE  IN  A  DUTCH   GARDEN 


PRUNELLA 

OR  LOVE   IN  A  DUTCH  GARDEN 
BY   LAURENCE    HOUSMAN 
AND   GRANVILLE   BARKER 


NEW     YORK 

DUFFIELD   AND    COMPANY 

1913 


^   ^^^'<i'6(-cX-    6QZ13H- 


Entered  at  the  Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  U.S.A. 
All  rights  reserved. 


DRAMATIS   PERSONiE 


Pierrot. 

-'■.  1  , 

ScARAMEL,  his  ServatiU 

Hawk, 

-^    .-:- 

Kennel, 

^-±. 

Callow, 

Mouth, 
Doll, 

>  Mummers, 

Romp, 

Tawdry, 

iuiuixkiij  r 

Coquette,^ 

^Ul4. 

Tenor,  a  hired  Singer. 

^^kA.iA 


3_,    ^rf-iKl^uurfni.. 


Prunella,    h'^ 

Prim, 

Prude, 

Privacy, 

Queer, 

Quaint,    )  '  -  i^J-±    ]il  ')  ^^''^'■''■^^ 

1st,  2nd,  and  3rd  Gardener.        \  lli^Vi  ^ 

Boy. 

Love,  a  Statue. 


her  Aunts. 


}  their  Servants. 


5754S4 


PRUNELLA 

ACT   I 

Scene. — A  garden  enclosed  hy  high  hedges  cut  square.  To  the  light  a 
statue  of  Love,  with  viol  and  borv,  stands  over  a  fountain.  To  the 
left  is  a  house  with  prim  7vindows,  the  centre  one  projecting  over  a 
porch  in  which  hangs  a  caged  canarij.  The  three  gardeners  are 
discovered  at  work,  tnmming  the  hedges  and  nailing  up  creepers. 
Behind  the  jurtliei  hedge  the  Boy's  voice  is  heard. 

Boy.  O    you    naughty,    naughty    birds,   now    will 
you 

Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you  ! 
1st  Gar.  Well,  what  d'you  say  the  weather 's  going 

to  be? 
2nd  Gar.  Weather  ain't  up  to  much,  it  seems  to  me. 
3rd  Gar.  It  s  up  to  mischief,  though  : 

Making  things  grow 

A  deal  too  fast. 

These  hedges — since  we  cut  'em  last — 

Don't  seem 

As  if  they  know'd  as  a  straight  line  could  mean 

Anything  !     No  ;  they  're  all  elbows  and  knees, 

Perking  'emselves  about  just  as  they  please  ! 

Oweasy  things  be  trees  I 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    Boy.  O  you  naughty  little  pests,  now  fly,  please  1 
Don't  come  making  nests  in  my  trees ! 
1st  Gar.  Well,  what 's  to  be  done  now  ? 
2nd  Gar.  I  thought  as  how — 

While  we  was  on  it,  gettin'  things  to  shape — 
'T  might  be  a  good  plan  just  to  give  a  scrape 
To  this  old  fountain. 
3rd  Gar.  Ah  !  you  thought  that  ?    Well, 

Then  don't  you  do  it ! 
2nd  Gar.  Oh  !  why  not  ? 

3rd  Gar.  I  tell 

You — doiCt  you  do  it !  't  's  not  to  be  touched,  so 
there ! 
2nd  Gar.  Well,  it  can  rot  then  ! 
3rd  Gar.  You  haven't  been  here 

So  long  as  I  have  1  if  you  had  you  'd  know. 
2nd  Gar.  Oh,  indeed,  oh  ?  [Boy  th?'ows  cap. 

Now  then  !  now  then  1 
Boy.  Please,  Mister  Gardener,  I 

Was  only  throwing  it  at  a  butterfly  ! 
3rd  Gar.  Then  just  you  leave  the  butterflies 
alone : 
They  mind  their  business — and  you  mind  your 

own ! 
It 's  scaring  birds  is  what  you  've  got  to  do. 
Boy.  They's    scared    enough    now,   mister; — they 
seed  you 
Come  into  the  garden. 
2 


PRUNELLA 

8rd  Gar.  Eh  ?  look  'ere,  look  'ere !  act  i 

You  keep  that  sauce  for  your  own  chop  !     D'  ye 

hear  ? 
Now  come  and  pick  this  rag  up  !     Don't  be  slow  1 
What 's  coming  to  the  boy  now  I  don't  know. 
1st  Gar.  It 's  just  his  youth. 

3rd  Gar.  Hisijouth/    Hi!    Here  a  minute  ! 

Closer  .  .  .  that  pocket  there  .  ,  .  what  you  got 
in  it  ? 
Boy.  Got?     What? 
3rd  Gar.  Why,  this.     This  'at ! 

1st  Gar.  Lord  love  yer,  look  at  that  I 

Boy.  'A  picked  it  up. 

3rd  Gar.  Picked  it  up,  did  you  ?     Where  ? 

Boy.  Please,  Mr.  Gardener,  down — down  at  the  fair. 
3rd  Gar.  Oh,  so  it 's  the  fair  you  've  been  to,  have 

you,  then  ? 
Boy.  Yes,  please,  Mr.  Gardener,  I — went — but  I — 

I  come  back  agen. 
3rd  Gar.  Who  was  it  told  you  to  go  ? 
Boy.  Please,  Mister,  I— 

I  went  to  see  the  mummers. 
1st  Gar.  Mummers?     My  I 

3rd  Gar.  And  you  been  brought  up  so  respectable, 

And  b'longing  here  I     What  did  you  go  for  ? 
Boy.  Well,— 

You  see  they  was  going  away  to-day,  some  one 
told  me — 

3 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I       And  I  just  couldn't  'elp  it !     I  just  'ad  to  see 

If  they  was  like — like  what  I  'd  thought  they'd  be. 
An'  oh,  they  was,  they  was  and  more  so  !  There 
Was  a  lot  of  'orses  and  ponies,  all  polished-shinin', 

just  like  my  'air 
Of  a  Sunday  ;  an'  acrobats,  pink-in-the-skin,  an' 

clowns 
All  tumbling  about :  and  ladies,  oh ! — what  had 

gowns 
Too  short  for  their  legs  !  and,  my  word,  didn't  they 

kick! 
And  there  was  a  lot  of  fiddlers  fiddling  so  quick 
You  couldn't  stop  to  breathe  for  listening;  and 

fairies  with  wings, 
And  folk  what  had  sugar-plum  things 
Stuck  all  over  them  !     Oh,  and  they  played 
The  fool  to  the  life  ! 
1st  Gar.  Did  they  now — did  they  ? 
8rd  Gar.  Well  ? 

Boy.  Made  you  feel  you  wished  you  was  silly  your- 
self—like as  you  was  ever  so. 
3rd  Gar.  Well  ? 
Boy.  Then — then  I  come  away. 

3rd  Gar.  Then,  now  you 

\_Points  him  back  to  his  work. 
Boy.  Yes,  Mister  Gardener. 
3rd  Gar.  Head  Gardener. 

Boy.  'Ead  Gardener. 
4 


PRUNELLA 

1st  Gar.  Oh,  I  've  seed  life  in  my  time  too  !  act  i 

3rd  Gar.    Yes.       An'    you    just    encourage    that 

boy. 
1st  Gar.  /  do  ? 

3rd  Gar.  I  'm  feared  at  'eart  you  're  unregenerate, 

Jeremy ! 
2nd  Gar.  Ah !  what  was  you  up  by  the  gate 

So  long  about  this  morning  ? 
1st  Gar.  I  ? 

2nd  Gar.  — If  not 

To  see  them  mummers  pass  ;  more  'n  one  lot 

Went  by  wi'  a  band  just  about  breakfast-time. 
1st  Gar.  Ay,  so  they  did. 
2nd  Gar.  And  you  there  ? 

1st  Gar.  Eh  !    Well,  I  'm 

Fond  of  a  bit  of  music  and  a  game. 
3rd  Gar.  What,   at  your  age  ?      O  Jeremy,  think 
shame 

Of  harbouring  of  such  thoughts  ! 
2nd  Gar.  [_Smffing.']  Ah,  ha  ! 

3rd  Gar.  WeU  ? 

What  are  ye  up  to  there,  my  Samuel  ? 

What 's  come  on  you  ? 
2nd  Gar.  There 's  summat  I  can  smell 

The  shape  of  here  ! 
3rd  Gar.  What  sort  of  shape  '11  it  be  ? 

2nd  Gar.  Our  dinner  1     Pigs'-pudding  ! 
3rd  Gar.  Good ! 

5 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    1st  Gar.  Ay  I  though  for  me— 

1  prefer  chitterlings. 

8rd  Gar.  Ah  !  I  don't  know  I 

I  dunno.    Chitterlings  m  their  place  don't  go 
So  bad ;  but  if  you  was  to  ask  me  straight 
What  I  'd  have  first,  if  it  should  be  my  fate 
To  die  to-morrow,  why  I  think  T  'd  most 
Choose  tripe  and  onions  ! 

1st  Gar.  Peter,  add  a  roast 

Potato,  and  I  'm  with  you  ! 

Boy.  Please,  misters,  say 

Ain't  'am  and  eggs  your  notion  of  heaven  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Eh  ? 

My  notion  is  you  'd  better  get  on  away 
Back  to  your  work — wasting  your  time  all  day 
Listening  to  what 's  not  meant  for  your  ears  ! 

2nd  Gar.  Well, 

That  talk  's  made  me  feel  sorry  for  mysel' — 
Hungry.    How  goes  the  time  ? 

3rd  Gar.  It  ain't  nigh  twelve. 

Not  yet.  [Sighs, 

Enter  Queer,  caj-rying  small  table. 
2nd  Gar.  Oh,  good-morning,  ma'am,— miss,  1  should 

say. 
Queer.  No,  you   shouldn't :   you   should  wait  till 

you  're  spoken  to  ! 
3rd  Gar.  Quite  right,  Mrs.  Queer  !     Patcher,  learn 

your  place ! 


PRUNELLA 

Queer.  I  didn't  ask  you  to  speak  !  act  I 

3rd  Gar.  You  did  not,  Mrs.  Queer,  but  the  sweet- 
ness of  your  looks  tempted  me  to  hutter  a 
hobservation. 

Queer.  Ha ! 

[Queer  arranges  things,  and  exit  abruptly. 

2nd  Gar.  What 's  put  her  out  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Thought  of  old  times,  maybe  I 

2nd  Gar.  Eh,  but  she  needn't  vent  it  off  on  me. 

1st  Gar.  Here  !  did  she  have 
Her  disappointments  ever  ? 

3rd  Gar.  I  don't  know. 

I  don't  know. 

2nd  Gar.  Ah,  you  've  your  suspicions,  though  ! 

1st  Gar.  When  did  it  happen  ? 

3rd  Gar.  If  it  did  happen — and  I  don't  say  so — 
But  yet  I  don't  say  no — 'twas  at  the  time 
AVhen    that    French    gentleman -gardener   come 

along, — 
Him  as  put  up  that  fountain.     It  was  then 
As   most  things   happened   that   ever   happened 
here. 

1st  Gar.  Oh,  ho,  so  that's   how  it  come?     What 
does  it  mean  ? 

2nd   Gar.  That   stands    for   Cupid.      Cupid's   the 
French  for  love. 

Re-enter  Queer. 
Queer.  In  a  few  minutes'  time  your  mistresses 

7 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I        Are  coming  to  sit  here :  and  they  11  expect 

Quiet  and  no  disturbance  while  Miss  Prunella 
Is  doing  her  lessons.     Mister  Gardeners, 
You  had  better  begin  to  work  !  it 's  getting  late  ! 

lExit. 
3rd  Gar.  Ah,  she  don't  like  our  looking  at  this  here 
.  .  .  No  .  .  . 
Yes,  as  I  say,  'twas  that  French  artist  chap — 
*  Gardener  architect '  as  he  called  hisself — 
Who  put  that  up.     Well, — it  was  never  any 
Affair  of  mine. 
1st  Gar.  And  what  else  did  he  do  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Well, — we  don't  make  a  boast  of  it,  you 
see, — 
But  it  was  'e 
Run  off  with  the  youngest  of  'em — Miss  what's 

'er-name  ? 
— AYith  INIiss  Prunella's  mother,  as  she  became. 
1st  Gar.  O-oh  !    Was  Miss  Prunella  his  daughter, 

then  ? 
3rd  Gar.  I  don't  know. 
2nd  Gar.  What — didn't  they  marry  when — 

When — er — 
3rd  Gar.  I  dunno. 

1st  Gar.  Come,  out  with  it,  man  I 

What  do  you  know  ? 
3rd  Gar.  Well,  twenty  years  ago, 

That  Frenchman,  he  come  here ;  and  he  began 
8 


PRUNELLA 

Chopping  and  changing,  doing  things  on  his  own —  act  i 
Improving  what  he  'd  better  have  left  alone, 
If  you  ask  me.    'Twas  he  put  on  the  shelf 
That  graven-image  o'  Cupid — carved  it  himself: 
And — Miss— Priscilla 

2nd  Gar.  Ah  ! 

3rd  Gae.  She  used  to  come 

And  watch  him  at  it. 

1st  Gar.  Oh  !  so  that  was  how  ! 

3rd  Gar.  Ah !  that  was  it.     Then  she  grows  pale 
and  thin, 
And  melancholy-like ; — you  know  the  way 
That  sort  of  thing  takes  people — walked  about 
With  a  book  in  her  hand,  holding  it  upside  down 
Pretending  to  be  reading  of  it — watching  him. 

2nd  Gar.  And  he  a-watchins:  her  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Ay,  ay !     Before 

He  made  the  sign,  she  was  in  love  with  him. 
And  just  as  full  of  it  as  any  goose 
Is  with  the  stuffing. 

1st  Gar.  Did  nobody  find  out  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Ah,  p'raps  Miss  Privacy  knew — 
Or  guessed  :  but  she  was  soft — she  didn't  say 
Anything  to  the  others.     And  then,  one  day, 
Just  when  the  statue  was  finished — she  and  him — 
Miss  Priscy  and  her  Frenchman-architect — 
Took  and  run  off  together.     No  one  knows 
What  happened  after  that. 

9 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    2nd  Gar.  Well,  they  must  know 

Something:  or  where  does  Miss  Prunella  come  in? 

3rd  Gar.  She  come 

Just  a  year  afterwards,  as  small  and  young 
As  they  make  'em — found  lying  at  the  door 
Tied  up  in  black  ribbon,  with  a  letter  written 
By  Miss  Priscilla  just  before  she  died. 
Saying  the  child  was  hers.    But  more  than  that 
I  don't  know,  I  don't  know. 

2nd  Gar.  Well,  a   poor  business   that  was  to   be 
sure! 
And  what  for,  eh  ?  for  love  ! — Cupidity  1 
*  Stupidity '  /  call  it.     I  love  my  love 
With  a  D — I  want  my  dinner ! 

1st  Gar.  So  that's  where  Miss  Prunella  gets  her 
ways. 
Is    it  ?     Why,   there !      I  've    seen   her   hanging 

round 
That  fountain  by  the  hour,  all  sad  and  pale 
And  star-gazing  at  nothing : — ^just  as  you  say 
Her  mother  used  to  do. 

3rd  Gar.  Oh,  ay  I  she 's  like 

Her  mother :  a  deal  too  like  her  to  please  me. 
If  we  don't  look  out,  she  '11  go  falling  in  love 
With  the  first  pretty  fellow  she  sets  eyes  upon ; 
And  then  the  deuce  to  pay  ! 

Boy.  Please,  Mister  Gardener,  I  saw  Miss  Prunella 
looking  at  7?ie  yesterday — the  saddest,  sorrowfullest 
10 


PRUNELLA 

look  you  ever  saw.     It  made  me  blush  all  down  act  i 
into  my  clothes.     Oh  1  [Breaks  of. 

Enter  Prunella.     S/ie    is   studying  a   hook   and 
carrying   a    satchel    of    work    on    her    arm. 
Occasionally  she  half  closes  the  hook,  and  raises 
her  head  to  mutter  a  piece  off  by  heart;   then 
halts   and   looks  down    again.      1st    and    2nd 
Gardeners  go  round  hedge. 
Oh,  hark,  naughty  bhds,  what  1 11  do  t'  you ; 
Go  out  of  my  garden,  or  I  '11  shoot  you  ! 
Prunella  [Repeating  each  line  twice  ove7'']. 

Not  to  allow  my  thoughts  to  stray — 
Not  to  allow  my  thoughts  to  stray 
Beyond  the  duties  of  each  day — 
Beyond  the  duties  of  each  day: 
Thus  only  can  I  hope  to  be — 
Thus  only  can  I  hope  to  be 
A  type  of  maiden  modesty — 
A  type  of  maiden  modesty. 
Now  I  know  that. 
3rd  Gar.  Hem  ! 

Prunella.  What  are  you  doing  there  ? 
3rd  Gar.  Giving  Nature  a  lesson,  miss. 
Prunella.  What  are  you  teaching  her  ? 
3rd  Gar.  To  keep  straight  I    111  let  her  know  who's 

master  while  / '?«  here. 
Prunella.  And  if  you  didn't,  what  would  happen  ? 

11 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I  3rd  Gar.  Why,  she  'd  kick  over  the  traces  and  be 
off  her  own  way  in  no  time.  She 's  bad  enough 
as  it  is,  always  getting  herself  [clips']  out  of 
shape,  and  trying  to  be  different  to  what  you 
make  her.  [C/i/w.]  Well,  that  you  can't  help, 
you've  just  got  to  come  along  and  put  it  right. 
\_Clips.~\  First  she  '11  run  to  leaf — that  you  can't 
help — then  she  '11  run  to  seed — that  you  can't 
help — then  she  goes  stalky  [clips]  rots  herself — 
dies  and  stinks.     None  of  it  you  can't  help. 

Prunella.  What  can  you  do,  then  ? 

3rd  Gar.  Oh,  you — you — can  make  things  uncom- 
fortable for  her ;  you  can  show  her  what  she 
ought  to  be,  and  keep  her  in  her  place — make  her 
toe  the  line.  That 's  what  a  garden 's  for,  that 's 
where  gardening  comes  in. 

Prunella.  Oh  dear !  here  are  my  aunts  already  ! 

3rd  Gar.  Yes,  miss. 

Prunella.  Lessons  !  I  'm  sure  I  'm  growing  too 
old  for  lessons. 

3rd  Gar.  No,  miss  —  no  one  grows  too  old  for 
lessons. 

Enter  Prim,  Privacy,  and  Prude,  followed  by 
Queer  and  Quaint.  The  Gardeners  retire 
behind  hedge,  and  commence  to  woi'k. 

Prim.  Prunella,   it   is    lesson- time.     Are  all    your 
lessons  learned  ? 
12 


PRUNELLA 

Prunella.  Yes,  Aunt  Prim.  act  i 

Privacy.  Quaint,  is  the  outer  gate  shut  ? 

Quaint.  Yes,  ma'am. 

[Prunella  stands  apart,  conning  her  lesson. 

Prude.  Indeed,  I  hope  so ;  to-day  it 's  very  neces- 
sary. You  had  better  double-lock  it,  and  draw 
down  all  the  blinds  looking  towards  the  road. 

Prunella.  Why,  Aunt  Prue,  people  will  think 
there  's  some  one  dead  in  the  house ! 

Prude.  They  had  better  do  so,  Prunella,  if  it  will 
induce  them  to  moderate  their  conduct  while 
passing  our  premises.  I  have  already  beheld 
more  than  I  care  to  recount  to  you. 

Privacy.  I  heard  a  disturbance  outside. 

Prunella  {^Leaning  forward  with  a  little  curiosity]. 
Oh,  yes 

Prim.  Prunella,  deport  yourself! 

Privacy  [To  Quaint].  You  had  better  bring  me 
the  key  of  the  gate. 

Quaint.  Yes,  ma'am.  [Eojtt, 

Prim  [To  Queer].  To-day  we  shall  not  be  at 
home  to  any  one. 

Prude.  Who  will  call  ?  No  one  can  venture  into 
the  streets. 

Prunella.  Why  can't  they,  Aunt  Prude  ? 

Prude.  Never  mind,  Prunella  ! 

Prim.  Tell  the  gardeners  to  see  that  nobody  in- 
trudes, [^^ii  Queer. 

13 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I  Boy    O  you  naughty,  naughty  bnds,  now  will  you 
Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you ! 

[Quaint  i^eturns  with  the  key,  and  exit  into  house. 
Prunella  wanders  toward  the  hedge. 

PuiM.  Prunella,  get  your  needlework, 

And  bring  your  little  chair  : 

Assume  the  task  you  wish  to  shirk, 

And  come  and  sit  down  here ! 
Gaudeners  \_Looking  round  hedge']. 

And  go  and  sit  down  there ! 
Prude.  But  please  to  do  it  decently, 

No,  do  not  cross  your  feet ; 

These  habits  have  come  recently. 

Correct  them,  I  entreat ! 
Gardeners  \_As  before']. 

Correct  them,  we  entreat ! 
Privacy.  Count  ten  before  you  say  a  thing, 

Think  of  each  word  you  use. 

Be  careful  how  you  weigh  a  thing. 

And  mind  your  P's  and  Q's. 
Gardeners.  And  mind  your 

\_Clock  strikes  '  Cuckoo '  twelve  times.  The 
Gardeners  stop  speaking  and  begin  to 
count  on  their  fingers  and  feet. 

Boy  [Behind   hedge].      O    you   naughty,    naughty 
birds  ;  now — oof !  .  .  .       \^A  dinnei^-bell  is  heard. 
3rd  Gar.  Dinner  I 
14 


PRUNELLA 

2nd  Gak.  Dinner  !  act  i 

1st  Gar.  Dinner!  {^Boy  I'uns  past. 

2nd  Gah.  That  boy  gone — forward  as  usual ! 

\_Exeiint. 
Prude.  Prunella,  regulate  yourself! 
Prim.  It  is  time  to  begin  lessons.    Have  you  learned 
your  verses  ?  [Prunella  hands  the  hook. 

You  had  better  stand  while  you  recite. 
Prunella.  What  is  my  task  to-day  ?     Behold 

The  dawn  arises  decked  in  gold  ; 

Bird,  beast,  and  fish  awake  to  run 

Their  daily  rounds  beneath  the  sun. 

Shall  I  alone  neglect  to  ask 

The  frightful  question,  '  What 's  my- 

Prim.   Vital  question. 

Prunella.  Shall  I  alone  neglect  to  ask 

The  vital  question,  '  What 's  my  task  ? ' 

Ah,  no  !  the  Power  which  placed  me  here. 

Directs  me  still  to  persevere ; 

To  find,  removed  from  dust  and  heat, 

Materials  for  a  life  complete, 

And  to  pursue  with  taste  subdued 

The  gentle  paths  of  rectitude ; 

To  keep  my  temper  well  controlled. 

To  be  content — do  as  I  'm  told. 

Not  to  allow 

Prude.  Prunella,  retreat  the  sash  ! 

Prim.  *  Not  to  allow  ' — continue.  Prunella ! 

15 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I   Prunella.  Not  to  allow  .  .  . 

To  keep  my  temper  well  controlled 
To  be  content — do  as  I  'm  told. 

Not  to  allow 

Oh,  I  Ve  forgotten  it  all  now !     Retreating  the 
sash  put  it  all  out  of  my  head. 

Prim.  You  must  learn  it  again. 

Privacy.  Prunella,  I  have  not  known  this  happen 
before !  You  had  better  carry  the  book  indoors. 
Bring  The  Gentle  Reader  with  you  when  you 
return.  \_Exit  Prunella. 

Prim.  Do   you   think   she   has   noticed   any- 
thing ? 

Privacy.  Seen  anything  ?     Oh,  I  hope  not. 

Prude.  I  think  it  possible. 

Privacy.  I  fancy  the  fair  must  be  breaking  up  to- 
day. 

Prude.  Three  or  four  bodies  of  the  rabble  have 
already  passed  along  the  road. 

Prim.   Our  road  ? 

Prude.  I  heard — I  almost  saw  them.  I  'm  sure  it 
is  a  death-trap  to  any  young  girl's  modesty  to 
look  out  of  window  while  such  characters  are 
abroad. 

Prim.  Hadn't  we  better  all  go  indoors  ?  We  are 
too  close  to  the  road  here. 

Prude.  But  we  must  be  careful  not  to  be  abrupt  or 
to  seem  purposeless. 
16 


PRUNELLA 

Prude.  If  we  made  any  sudden  move,  Prunella's  act  i 
curiosity  might  be  aroused. 

Prim.  I  think  it  is  aroused  already. 

Prude.  Well,  she  certainly  showed  a  peculiar  in- 
telligence about  the  blinds.  She  seemed  to  me 
to  wish  to  have  them  up. 

[Pruneui.a  returns  from  the  house. 

Privacy.  Hush  !  here  she  comes. 

Prim.  I  observe  a  strange  agitation  in  her  manner. 

Prude.  She  's  concealing  something. 

\_The  INIummers'  music  in  the  distance. 

Prim.  Privacy — there  are  the  mummers  again ! 

Privacy.  Dear  me  !     But  quite  in  the  distance. 

Prim.  But  she  '11  hear  them — she  must 

Prude.  She  's  taking  notice — she 's  taking  notice  ! 

Privacy.  Oh,  distract  her  attention! 

Prim.  How  ? 

Prude.  INIake  conversation ! 

Prim.  Ah  ! — it 's  the  gardeners'  dinner-hour 

Privacy.  They  will  have  finished  soon. 

Prude.  It  looks  as  if  there  'd  be  a  shower 
This  afternoon. 

Priini.  I  hope  you  put  away  your  books  ? 

Prunella.  Yes. 

Prim.  Closed  the  drawer  again  ? 

Prunella.  Yes. 

Prim.  Quite  sure  ? 

Prunella.  Yes. 

B  17 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I   Prude.  It  really  looks 

As  if  there  would  be  rain. 
Prim.  Prunella,  do  not  cross  your  feet. 

Don't  turn  them  so  much  out ! 
Prude.  Really  I  do  think  from  the  heat 

Thunder  must  be  about. 

\_A  slight  pause. 
Prim.  Ah  !     They  have  passed  by. 
Privacy.  Dear  child,  she  has  noticed  nothing. 
Prude.  Innocence  is  a  beautiful  thing,  Privacy. 

[Prim  yawns. 
Prude.  Really,  Prim ! 
Prim.  I  am  sorry — I  think  it  is  more  nervousness 

than  fatigue. 
Prude.  Reading,   Prunella  !  —  Open    your    Gentle 

Reader.    Turn  to  '  The  Moon.'    No — no.  Prunella 

— do  not  waste  your  energy  in  turning  pages. 

Discover  the  whereabouts  of  the  passage  by  means 

of  the  Index — placed  in  the  book  for  that  purpose. 

[Privacy  yawns. 
Prude.  Oh,  Privacy ! 
Privacy.  I  beg  your  pardon. 
Prude  \_To  Prunella].      Have  you  found   'The 

Moon '  ? 
Prunella.  Yes,  Aunt. 
Prude.  Then  begin.     Read  slowly  and  sit  straight. 

\^She  starts  a  yawn,  but  checks  it.']     No — 'twas  not 

yawning. 
18 


PRUNELLA 

Prunella.  *  The  JMoon.'  To-day,  gentle  reader,  we  act  i 
will  look  at  the  moon,  in  order  to  consider  its 
character,  its  condition,  and  its  constituents,  so  far 
as  they  are  known.  The  moon  is  much  larger 
than  the  uninstructed  would  suppose ;  it  is  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  million  miles  away  from  our  globe, 
which  will  give  you  some  idea  of  its  size.  Thus 
the  fastest  crow  would  take  nearly  four  years  to 
fly  from  here  to  the  moon,  without  any  pause  for 
refreshment  by  the  way,  and  the  kingly  eagle 
would  not  accomplish  the  task  under  three.  Let 
facts  like  these,  gentle  reader,  stir  your  wonder  at 
Creation's  mighty  plan,  and  stimulate  modesty  at 
your  own  exceeding  insignificance. 

Prude.  '  Modesty,'  Prunella  ;  you  had  better  make  a 
note. 

Prunella  [Makes  a  note].  The  moon  has  from 
time  immemorial  been  the  subject  of  foolish 
fables,  all  of  which  are  untrue.  The  fact  that  the 
contours  of  its  surface  somewhat  resemble  the 
human  countenance  has  given  rise  to  an  ignorant 
superstition  that  the  moon  contains  a  man. 
Gentle  reader,  there  is  no  man  in  the  moon,  nor 
is  it  in  the  least  probable  that  any  form  of  life 
can  exist  there.  It  is  true  that  the  moon  presents 
to  our  eyes  only  one-half  of  its  surface ;  no  one 
has  ever  seen  the  further  side  of  the  moon. 

Prim.  Prunella,  why  do  you  stop  reading  ? 

19 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I  Prunella.  No  one  has  ever  seen  the  further  side  of 
the  moon !  It  is  probably  just  the  same  in  all 
respects  as  the  one  we  know.  [  The  Aunts  begin  to 
nod.']  The  moon  completes  the  circuit  of  the  earth 
once  in  every  lunar  month.  If  uninfluenced  by 
superior  gravity  the  moon,  once  started,  would 
have  gone  on  in  a  straight  line  for  ever ;  any 
change  that  has  come  about  is  proportional  to 
the  earth's  attraction,  and  lies  in  the  direction  of 
that  attraction.  [^Distant  music  comes  neare?' ; 
Prunella  stops  to  listen  and  goes  on  again.  The 
Aunts  sleep.']  The  earth  influences  the  moon,  at- 
tracting it  by  its  superior  gravity.  Once  it  formed 
a  part  of  the  earth,  but  breaking  away,  it  chose  a 
course  of  its  own  and  lost  all  its  heat  and  vitality. 
The  moon  may,  therefore,  fitly  be  held  up  as 
an  object-lesson  to  all  young  people.  It  once 
committed  a  rash  act  for  which  it  is  now  paying 
the  penalty. 

\_31usic  again  comes  nearer ;  on  the  other  side 
of  the  hedge  are  voices  and  laughter.  Prun- 
ella stops  to  listen.  Over  the  hedge  a 
shower  of  confetti  falls  upon  the  sleeping 
Aunts.  Prunella  turns  in  timid  alarm. 
Outside  a  toy  bugle  is  blown  on  tivo  notes 
rather  like  a  cuckoo,  and  a  drum  is  banged. 
Prude  S^Avoakening].  What  was  that  noise  ? 
Prunella.  I  don't  know.  \_More  noise  without. 

20 


PRUNELLA 

Prim.  Oh  !  oh  !     Those  dreadful  people  1  act  i 

Entei^  Queer  and  Quaint,  rujining. 

Queer  and  Quaint.    O    ma'am,    ma'am,    ma'am  I 
The   mummers   are   going    by !      They  've   been 
throwing   up  at   the  windows   and   knocking   at 
the  gate,  and  there  are  lots  more  of  them  coming 
up  the  road. 
Privacy.  Come,  let  us  go  in  at  once. 
Prim.  We  must  retire. 
Prude.  Queer,  Quaint,  bring  in  the  chairs  ! 
Privacy.  Prunella,  my  dear,  don't  sit  so  !     Get  up  I 
[Prunella  gets  up  all  in  a  dream  ;  her  lap  is 
full  of  needlex^ork,   thimbles,   scissors,  etc., 
ivhichfcdl  upon  the  ground. 
Prim.  Tut !  tut !  what  carelessness  !    Gather  them 
up  quickly,  and  come ! 

\_Another  blast  outside. 
Prude.  Oh-h-h  !     [Rujis.^  \_E.veunt  the  Aunts. 

[Queer  and  Quaint  pick  up  the  chairs. 
Queer.  What  are  you  going  to  do  ? 
Quaint.  I  'm   going   to   pull   down    the    top-floor 
blinds.     I    won't   have   people   looking  into   my 
room. 
Queer  [JFith  understanding  of  idiat  opportunity  a 
top)  ivindow  afhrdsl.    Ah  !    And  I  believe  my  win- 
dow is  open.    Ignorance  ain't  innocence  ;  it 's  well 
to  know  these  things — then  you  can  avoid  'em. 

21 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I   Privacy  [^Returning],    Prunella,  I  have  dropped  the 

gate  key.     Find  it  and  bring  it  in.     Then  retire 

to  your  room  and  stay  there  till  you  are  sent  for. 

[Exit  Privacy.     Prunella  prepares  to  fol- 

loxv,  takes  up  the  key,  then  after  a  momenfs 

hesitation  gets  on  her  stool  and  looks  over  the 

hedge.     Through  the  bottom  of  the  hedge 

creeps  Pierrot.    Half -way  through  he  stops. 

Pierrot.  Cuckoo ! 

[Prunella  looks  doxvn  and  sees  him.     There 
is  a  long  pause. 
Prunella.  Was  it  you  made  that  noise  just  now  ? 
Pierrot  \_Nodding  and  smiling  at  her'].     Nice  noise, 
wasn't  it  ? 

[Prunella  shakes  her   head  very  seriously. 
He  comes  light  th'ough  the  hedge. 
Prunella     \_Scared~\.      Naughty   white    boy,   you 

must  go  away ! 
Pierrot.  No,  pretty  Dutch  doll,  let  me  stay ! 
Prunella.  You  mustn't  call  me  names. 
Pierrot.  You  called  me  names. 
Prunella.  I  didn't. 

Pierrot.  You  did — a  horrid,  nasty  name. 
Prunella  [Approaching  him,  half  fascinated].     Tell 

me — what  in  the  world  are  you  ? 
Pierrot  [Going  on  his  knees  in  a  mock  attitude  of 
prayer  and  talking  very  fast,  as  if  in  a  great  hurry 
to  tell  his  tale  and  get  pardon  for  inti'uding].    Oh, 
22 


PRUNELLA 

I  'm  nothing :  I  'm  nothing  in  the  world  but  a  act  I 
poor  Pierrot.  I  'm  an  orphan,  I  haven't  got  a 
home,  I  haven't  got  a  friend,  I  haven't  got  a  leg 
to  stand  on,  I  haven't  got  a  bed  to  sleep  in,  I 
haven't  had  a  bit  to  eat,  and  I  haven't  had  a  drop 
to  drink  for  three  whole  hours.  [^Changing  Iris 
maimer,  seeing  that  he  has  made  an  impression  on 
her.']  There,  now  you  know  all  about  me, — as 
much  as  I  know  myself,  almost.  Oh,  I  'm  so  giddy, 
I  can't  stand.  If  you  don't  look  sweet  at  me,  I 
shall  be  dead  in  a  minute. 

Prunella.  But  how  did  you  come  here  ?  AVho  are 
you  ? 

Pierrot.  Dropped  like  a  bird.  I  'm  the  man  in  the 
moon. 

Prunella.  Don't  be  silly.  There's  no  man  in  the 
moon.     I  've  been  taught  that. 

Pierrot.  Ah !  Don't  you  believe  all  the  things 
you  're  told ! 

Prunella.  But  that 's  in  a  book. 

Pierrot.  Never  read  books.     I  never  do. 

Prunella.  Don't  you  learn  things  ? 

Pierrot.  I  know  all  that 's  worth  knowing.  And 
now  I  '11  tell  you  something.  [Draws  nearer  and 
looks  into  her  eyes  while  he  points  to  himself.']  The 
moon  has  a  round  face,  two  eyes,  a  nose,  and  a 
mouth.  That's  science.  You  thought  I  didn't 
exist ;  but — I  've  come  true.    That  often  happens. 

23 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    Prunella.  But  why  did  you  come  here  at  all  ? 

Pierrot.  Looked  at  you  through  the  hedge  till  my 

heart  beat  a  hole  in  it !     Now  I  've  lost  it. 
Prunella.  What  ? 
Pierrot.  JMy  heart. 
Prunella.  How? 
Pierrot.  Flown  !    Up  into  that  tree,  just  over  your 

head.    Can't  you  hear  it  crying  '  Sweet,  sweet, 

sweet ! ' — like   a   hungry  bird,   eh  ?     Throw  it  a 

crumb  !      Throw  it  a  crumb  !      There !  did  you 

hear  that  ? 
Prunella  [^Shaking  her  head  incredulously].     Why 

don't  you  call  it  back  again  ? 
Pierrot.  Ah!   it  won't   come   to  my  calhng— not 

now  !    But   if  you  were  to  call,  if  you  were  to 

say,    '  Sweetheart,    sweetheart,   come ! '    why,    I 

shouldn't  wonder 

Prunella.  Oh,  you  oughtn't  to  be  here,  you  must 

go  away ! 
Pierrot.  Why  must  I  ? 
Prunella.    Because  nobody  like  you  ever  comes 

here. 
Pierrot.  Would  you  like  them  to  come  ? 
Prunella.  Them  !     Is  there  any  one  else  like  you 

in  the  world  ? 
Pierrot.  One  or  two.     You  don't  believe  it  ?     I  'm 

flattered.    But  truth  before  all  things.     I  '11  prove 

it.     [TFhistles.']     Scaramel !     Scaramell     But  not 
24 


PRUNELLA 

quite  like   me — we   are   rather  a  mixed  lot,  we  act  i 
aren't  all  as  white  as  we  are  painted. 

Enter  S caramel. 

Here  is  one,  now  !     ^ly  man  Scaramel.    Do  you 

not  see  the  likeness  ? 
Scaramel.  At  your  service,  if  it 's  my  master's. 
Prunella.  What  does  he  mean  by  that  ? 
Pierrot.  That 's  his  creed — it 's  what  he  lives  by. 
Prunella.  He 's  not  like  you  at  all.     I  don't  like 

him. 
Pierrot.  But  that 's  rather  foolish.      For  if  every 

one  were  just  like  me,  you  'd  see  too  much  of  me, 

then. 
Scaramel.  Master,  she 's  very  young. 
Pierrot.  Well? 

Scaramel.  Otherwise  charming  as  usual. 
Prunella.  Oh,  please  send  him  away  !     If  you  will 

send  him  away  you  may  stay, — ^just  for  a  little. 
Pierrot.  What 's  that  you  have  in  your  hand  ? 
Prunella.  A  key. 
Pierrot.  It 's  a  very  pretty  key.    May  I  look  at  it? 

Keys  fascinate  me.    I  like  to  guess  what  they  open. 
Prunella.  Oh,  yes.  [Hands  him  the  key, 

Pierrot.  Now  this  isn't  a  watch  key. 
Scaramel.  Nor  a  bed  key. 
Pierrot.  It 's  not  a  small  key. 
Scaramel.  No ;  it 's  a  large  key. 

25 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I   Prunella.  It 's  the  key  of  the  garden  gate. 

Pierrot.  Is  it  really  ?  Scaramel,  this  is  the  key  of 
the  garden  gate.  Well,  a  gate  has  its  uses,  eh, 
Scaramel  ?     Ah ! 

[Scaramel  runs  off  with  the  key. 
Prunella.  Thank  you  for  sending  him  off. 
Pierrot.  Don't  mention  it,  pray. 
Prunella.  But    what    have    you   done   with    the 

key? 
Pierrot.  Didn't  you  see  me  put  it  down  my  back 

to  prevent  my  nose  bleeding. 
Prunella.  Was  your  nose  bleeding  ? 
Pierrot.  Child,  child,  I  said  to  prevent  it  bleeding. 
Let  us  talk  of  something  else.     I  don't  like  this 
place.     It 's  too  straight.     I  don't  like  it. 
Pruneli>a.  It 's  my  home. 
Pierrot.  Do  you  love  it  ? 
Prunella.  Why — yes. 

Pierrot.  Why  has  your  house  shut  its  eyes  ?  Tliat  's 
wilfully  foolish.     Now  I  '11  tell  you  a  story  about 
a  house  I  once  kncAv — very  like  this. 
Prunei>la.  Really  like  this  ? 
Pierrot.  Where  somebody  lived  very  like  you. 
Prunella.  Some  one  like  me  ? 
Pierrot.  Asleep,  on  the  edge  of  a  town 
Where  the  high-road  ran  by, 
Stood  a  house  with  the  blinds  all  drawn  down, 
As  if  waiting  to  die. 
26 


PRUNELLA 

And  everything  there  was  so  straight  act  t 

With  high  walls  all  about ! 
And  a  notice  was  up  at  the  gate. 

That  told  Love  to  keep  out. 

But  Love  cannot  read, — he  is  blind  ; 

So  he  came  there  one  day 
And  knocked  ;  but  the  house  was  unkind. 

It  turned  him  away  ! 

But  lo,  when  the  gates  were  all  closed, 

When  the  windows  were  fast. 
At  night  while  the  householders  dozed, 
Love  entered  at  last. 
Prunella.  Oh,  you  recite  quite  nicely,  better  than 
I  do.    [Peals  of  laughter  a?^e  heard  outside  and  cries 
o/"' Pierrot!  Pierrot!  Pierrot!'  which 
come  nearer. 
Pierrot.  Thank  you,  but  I  have  a  deal  of  practice. 
Prunella.  Oh,  listen  !  What 's  this  ? 
Pierrot.  Friends  of  mine. 
Here  they  come. 
Look  at  'em  : 
Rollicking,  rackety ! 

Enter  Kennel,  Callow,  ^Iouth,  Hawk. 
All  Four.  Here  we  come. 
Look  at  us  : 
Rollicking,  rackety ! 
Kennel.  Kennel! 

27 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    Callow.  Callow  I 
Mouth.  Mouth! 
Hawk.  Hawk  I 

Enter  Scaramel. 

Pierrot.  Scaramel,     good — you  're     an     excellent 

servant. 
Kennel  and  Callow.  Tawdry  and  Doll. 

Enter  Tawdry  and  Doll. 
Scaramel.  Here  they  are,  pretty  dears. 
Tawdry  and  Doll.  Here  we  are,  pretty  dears. 
Mouth  and  Hawk.  Romp  and  Coquette  ! 

Enter  Romp  and  Coquette. 

Romp  and  Coquette.  Last  through  the  gate. 

Pierrot.  Dance  round  me ! 

Mouth.  Jump,  little  Tawdry,  Jump  so  high  1 

Doll.  Here 's  a  fine  garden. 

Hawk.  Let 's  pull  it  to  pieces. 

Coquette  \_Seetng  Prunella].     Oh  ! 

Callow,  Mouth,  Doll.  Oh  ! 

All.  Oh! 

Prunella  [Quietly'].     Oh,  you  are  funny  ! 

Pierrot.  These  are  my  friends.      Now  attention : 

Callow ! 
Callow.  Yes,  I  'm  very  young. 
Pierrot.  Doll ! 

Doll.  They  say  my  heart 's  of  sawdust. 
28 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  Hawk  !  act  i 

Hawk.  I  pounce ! 

Tawdry.  Oh,  not  on  me  ! 

Pierrot.  That 's  Tawdry — JMouth  ! 

Mouth.  Greedy 's  my  other  name. 

Pierrot.  Romp ! 

Romp.  I  'm  the  jolly  girl. 

Pierrot.  Kennel,  and  Coquette  ! 

Kennel.  I  make  no  pretence  to  being  nice. 

Coquette.  I  'm  here  to  waste  his  time. 

Pierrot.  Now,  what 's  your  name  ? 

Prunella.  Of  course  I  'm  Prunella. 

Pierrot.  Well,  I  'm  Pierrot. 

All.  Now  you  know. 

Prunella.  Pierrot 's  a  pretty  name.      \^She  grows 

suddenly  frightened.!^      I  think  you  'd  better  go 

away. 
Pierrot.  Oh,  but  that  isn't  polite  of  you. 
Prunella.  I  don't  think  my  aunts  would  be  pleased. 
Pierrot.  That  shows  their  bad  taste. 
Prunella.  Oh,  please  go  I — make  haste ! 
Pierrot.  No,  we  shan't. 

Prunella.  Then  I  must.  [Begins  to  run, 

Pierrot.  Catch  my  butterfly,  catch  my  butterfly  I 

[  They  circle  round  her. 
All.  Butterfly  I     Butterfly! 
Hawk.  No,  you  're  a  chrysalis. 
Romp.  Wait  till  the  sun  warms. 

29 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  1  Callow.  Then  you  shall  fly  away. 
Tawdry.  Fly  with  us— not  from  us. 
Prunella.  Oh,  please  stop — you  make  me  so  giddy. 
Pierrot.  Scaramel,  bring  her  to  me  ! 
Prunella.  Go  right  away !  Oh,  what  do  you  want  ? 
Pierrot.  What  do  I  want  ? 
Scaramel.  Master,  what  do  you  want  ? 
All.  What  do  we  want  ? 
Pierrot.  Well,  I  'm  hungry. 
Prunella.  Oh,  are  you  ?      I  'm  sorry.      I  '11  fetch 

you  some  bread  in  a  minute. 
All.  Bread — dry  bread  ?     Oh,  no. 
Prunella.  And  butter. 
Scaramel.  Bread  and  butter,  miss ! 
Prunella.  Well,  cake. 

Pierrot.  Neither  bread,  nor  butter,  nor  cake. 
Prunella.  Then  you  can't  be  really  hungry. 
Pierrot.  Call  it  thirst.     My  lips  are  dry.    Give  me 

— give  me  a  kiss. 
All.  Give  him,  oh  give  him  a  kiss. 
Doll.  Do  give  him  a  kiss. 
Scaramel.  You  're  to  give  him  a  kiss. 
Prunella.  That  won't  cure  hunger  and  thirst. 
Pierrot.  It  '11  cure  my  hunger  and  thirst. 
Prunella.  A  kiss  ? 
Pierrot.  Just  a  kiss. 
Prunella.  But  that 's  nothing.    I  kiss  people  often 

— regularly. 
30 


PRUNELLA 

All.  Regularly — oh  !  act  i 

ScARAMEL.  Never  do  things  regularly, 

Pierrot.  To  love — it 's  everything. 

Prunella.  To  love  ? 

All.  Love. 

Prunella.  What  is  making  you  look  so  unhappy  ? 

Pierrot.  Love. 

Prunella.  Is  it  love  that  has  made  you  so  pale  ? 

Pierrot.  Just  love ! 

\_The  I'cst  of  the  Mummers  begin  to  adapt 
themselves  to  his  mood  and  come,  stepping 
solemnly,  and  listen.     Sad  music  is  heai'd. 

Prunella.  Alas  !    How  sad  a  sight  you  are  in  truth  I 
Is  love  a  thief,  that  you  have  lost  your  youth  ? 
Why,  you  have  turned  quite  white  : 
Your  very  clothes  would  seem  to  share  your  grief! 

Pierrot.  Yes,  they  went  white  when  I  did. 

Prunella.  When  was  that  ? 

Pierrot.  Just  now,  when  I  first  saw  you  from  the 
other  side  of  the  hedge. 

Prunella.  You  went  white  then  ? 

Pierrot.  As  white  as  I  could ;  I  wasn't  nearly  so 
white  till  I  saw  you.  At  times  I  was  so  black  I 
ought  to  have  been  called  Nero  instead  of  Pierrot. 
Ah!  Now,  don't  be  frightened — I  wasn't  quite 
black,  just  a  little  bit  off  colour  here  and  there,  a 
sort  of  magpie.  You  like  magpies,  don't  you  ? — 
women  always  do. 

31 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I  Prunella  \_Innocentlif\.     I  never  had  a  magpie. 

Pierrot.  Ah !    I  wish  I  had  you  in  my  nest !    Oh-h ! 
[As  he  leans  towcu'ds  her,  Prunella  instinc- 
tively draws  back,  and  screens  her  face.   Sud- 
denly Pierrot  /a//5  into  Scarai^iel's  ai^ms. 
Prunella.  What 's  the  matter  ? 
Coquette.  He 's  going  to  faint. 
Tawdry.  He  has  fainted. 
Doll.  I  think  he 's  going  to  die. 
Romp.  He 's  dead. 
Prunella.  No,   he    isn't.      Don't   say    such   cruel 

things ! 
Coquette.   Well,  it  will  be  your  doing. 
Prunella.  No,  no ! 
Doll  {^Taking  Prunella  by  the  arm,  and pointii^g]. 

Oh,  poor  Pierrot !     Look  at  him,  look  ! 
All  [Gather  round,  crying].     O   you  poor,  poor, 
poor  Pierrot ! 

[Pierrot  lies  in  Scaramel's  aims  with  eyes 
shut,  and  sighs. 
Pierrot  [Faintly].     Yes,  I  hear  what  you  are  say- 
ing.    That's  me,  that's  me.     Will  nobody  find 
me  a  remedy  ? 
Prunella.  Oh,  do,  do,  somebody  find  him  a  remedy  1 
Coquette.  Somebody  ? 
All.  Find  him  a  remedy  somebody, 
Somebody,  somebody  do ! 
From  the  way  he 's  been  taken, 
32 


PRUNELLA 

Unless  I  'm  mistaken,  act  i 

That  somebody  ought  to  be  you.  [To  Prunella. 

What  is  his  malady  ?     Nobody, 

Nobody,  nobody  knows ; 

Unless,  by  your  pardon,  [2^o  Prunella. 

You  live  in  a  garden, 

With  nothing  that  properly  grows  I 

Find  him  a  remedy  somebody,  etc. 

\_T/iey  seize  Prunella,  and  lead  her  iqj  to  him. 
Pierrot.  Let  her  alone  I    Let  her  go  ! 
Force  is  no  remedy. 

S  CARAMEL.  No. 

Pierrot.  So  the  story  will  never  come  true  ? 
Prunella.  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ? 
Pierrot.  The  man  in  the  moon 

Came  down  too  soon. 

And  lost  his  heart  to  a  maiden ; 

With  hunger  and  drouth. 

She  burnt  his  mouth, 

And  left  him  heavily  laden. 
Doll.  ] 

Tawdry.      -  Oh,  cruel  I 
Coquette. 

Prunella.  Do  you  mean  me  ? 
Pierrot.  Kiss  me ;  then  you  will  see. 
Prunella.  But  why  do  you  wish  for  it  so  ? 
Pierrot.  Kiss  me — then  you  will  know. 

c  33 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  I    All.  Kiss  him — then  you  will  know. 

[She  kisses  Jdvi.     He  meets  the  kiss  passion- 
ately, holding  her  fast.    She  is  ovej'w helmed , 
breaks  frojji  him,  and  runs  into  the  house. 
Pierrot.  And  now — she  knows. 

\_A  pause.     Coquette  steals  up  to  Pierrot. 
Coquette.  Was  it  nice  ? 
Pierrot.  Get  away ! 
Rojip.  O  Callow — wilt  and  die,  and  I  '11  kiss  you 

to  life ! 
Hawk.  Oh,   I  'm  lost  to  this  earth.     Rescue   me, 

Tawdry,  with  your  cherry  lips  ! 
Pierrot.  Scaramel,  turn  them  away  1 
ScARAMEL.  Pack,  baggages,  pack ! 
Kennel.  On  the  road  again — master  of  my  master  ? 
Scaramel.  Yes.     No,  wait  without. 

Doll.  Well,  since  we  've  seen  the  show 

Mouth.  What  a  pretty  piece  of  fooling ! 

Scaramel.  Must  I  tell  you  twice  ? 

Tawdry.  Save  me.  Hawk ! 

Hawk.  By  all  means — my  pigeon.    [Carries  her  off. 

The  Others.  Back  we  go — off  we  go,  etc. 

[They  run  off. 
Scaramel.  Master !     We  are  alone :  we  three. 
Pierrot.  We  three  ? 
Scaramel.  You,  and  I,  and  the  Key. 
Pierrot.  The  Key  ? 

Scaramel.  It 's  the  key  of  the  garden  gate. 
34 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  What  might  it  unlock  for  her !  act  i 

ScARAMEL.  Well,  master— let's  be  getting  on  our  way. 

Pierrot.  Once  more. 

S CARAMEL.  I  '11  drop  it  here. 

Pierrot.  No,  give  it  me  ! 

ScARAiviEL.  INIagic  attends  on  us.     This  house  has 

been  blind  and  deaf.     The  magic  's  fading  now. 
Vi-EunoT  [To  himself].     To-night,  to-night  1 
ScARAMEL.  Did  you  speak  ? 
Pierrot.  I  am  tempted — Scaramel. 
ScARAMEL.  Always  yield  to  temptation. 

Pierrot.  Then  to-night 

Boy  [Behind  hedg-e].      O   you    naughty,    naughty 
birds,  now  will  you  ? 

Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you  ! 

[Pierrot  pockets  the  key,  and  exit  through 
hedge. 

O  you  naughty  little  pests,  now  fly,  please ! 

Don't  come  making  nests  in  my  trees  ! 

[Scaramel yb//oii.s  Pierrot.     Curtain. 


35 


PRUNELLA 


ACT   II 

The  same  scene,  night-time.  The  moon  is  rising  away  to  the  right  of 
the  stage.  Its  light  crosses  the  top  of  the  hedge,  and  strikes  the 
head  of  the  fountain-statue.  The  sound  of  keys  and  locking  of 
gates  is  heard.  Ttvo  gardeners  enter  with  lanterns  and  keys.  All 
lights  are  out  in  the  house. 

1st  Gar.  Ay,  they  are  all  a-bed. 

2nd  Gar.  I  'm  about  ready  for  mine. 

1st  Gar.  [Going   off\     It 's   going  to  be   a   clear 

night. 
2nd  Gar.  Ay,  full  moon.  [Exeunt. 

'Enter  Pierrot  and  Scaramel. 
Pierrot.  Scaramel. 
Scaramel.  Master. 

Pierrot.  Have  you  a  ladder  about  you  ? 
Scaramel.  No,  master. 
Pierrot.  That  is  very  careless,  to  come  out  at  night 

without  a  ladder. 
Scaramel.  Master,  doubtless  one  can  be  procured. 
Pierrot.  One  must  be  procured. 
Scaramel.  I  hope,  master,  you  are  not  doing  this 

deliberately. 
Pierrot.  Give  me  my  guitar. 
Scaramel.   Your  guitar  ? 
36 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  I  bought  it.    Scaramel,  I  feel  very  happy  act  ii 

to-night. 
Scaramel.  Anticipation  is  always  delightful. 
Pierrot.  And  she  shall  be  happy  too. 
Scaramel.  She  shall  fulfil  her  little  destiny. 
Pierrot.  I  think  she  is  different  from  any  other. 
Scaramel.  You  always  think  that,  master. 
Pierrot  \_Offended].  I  am  sure  she  is  quite  different 

from  every  other. 
Scaramel.  O   master,    promise   me    you    will    be 

selfish. 
Pierrot.  Scaramel,  have  you  ever  known  me  forget 

myself? 
Scaramel.  Master,  you  are  almost  all  I  could  wish. 
Pierrot.  Now  for  my  serenade.     Am  I  in  voice 

to-night  ? 
Scaramel.  The  best  that  money  could  buy. 
Pierrot.  Tenor  or  baritone  ? 
Scaramel.  Both. 

Pierrot.  To-night  I  will  sing  tenor. 
Scaramel.  Three   times   for  a  tenor,  twice  for  a 

baritone.  [Scaramel  claps  three  times. 

Enter  a  Tenor. 

Pierrot.  Is  this  it  ? 
Scaramel.  This  is  it. 
Pierrot.  Can  it  speak  as  well  ? 
Scaramel.  I  never  inquired. 

37 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  PiEBROT  [To  Tenor].     Plcasc  remember,  sir,  that 
I  pride  myself  on  my  voice. 
Tenor.  Your  voice  ? 
Pierrot.  Oh,  you  can  speak  ? 
Tenor.   You?-  voice ! 

Pierrot.  Well,  I  've  paid  for  it.     Now,  Scaramel, 
leave  me  to  sing.  [Exit  Scaramel. 

Tenor  [Sings']. 

How  now,  everywhere  up  in  air  stars  stare : 

On  the  roof  shines  the  moon. 
Little  bird  in  your  nest,  are  you  there  ? 

Up,  song,  to  her  chamber  go  :  say  low,  *  Down 

below. 
Thy  love  begs  a  boon.' 
Little  bird  in  your  nest,  are  you  there  ? 
Pierrot.  How  strange  my  voice  sounds  to-night. 
Tenor  [Sings]. 

Sleep,  sleep,  for  Love's  sake  let  her  wake. 

Say,  '  Take  no  rest ! ' 
Little  bird  in  your  nest,  are  you  there  ? 

Tame  heart,  take  heat,  go  beat  in  the  small 
sweet  breast. 
Little  dove,  bird  of  Love,  are  you  there  ? 
Hour   of  night,    at   her   bower   go   beat :      say, 
'  Sweet,  now  rise  ! ' 
Time  flies  !     O  Love,  are  you  there  ? 
Undo  and  renew  to  the  night  the  light  of  your 
bright  blue  eyes  I 
38 


PRUNELLA 

For  the  man  in  the  moon  is  here.  act  ii 

Do  you  hear  ?  He  is  here  ! 
Pierrot.  Now  stand  back  !  [^Irle  takes  the  Tenor's 
place.']  Well  ?  Well  ?  Well  ?  ?  ?  Hasn't  she 
heard?  Won't  she  answer?  I  sang  that  as  finely 
as  ever  I  sang  it.  Come  here,  Tenor.  Ah,  I 
understand.  This  means  nothing  to  you — you 
don't  care  a  jot.  You  sing  what  you  're  paid  to 
sing,  not  a  note  more.  You  professionals  will  be 
the  ruin  of  art.  Don't  answer  me,  sir.  Off  with 
you  !  \_Exit  Tenor  ;  exit  Pierrot. 

Enter  Scaramel,  folloived  by  Mouth  and  Hawk 
hi^inging  gardener  s  Boy  captive. 

ScARAMEL.   Bring  him  along,  bring  him  along ! 

Boy.  Here,  I  say  !     You  are  pinching  of  me  I 

ScARAMEL.  Are  you  pinching  him.  Hawk  ? 

Hawk.  No,  but  I  will. 

Boy.  I '11  yell. 

ScARAMEL.  Don't  let  him  yell. 

Mouth  \_Putting  his  hand  over  Boy's  month'].     Now 

then.    [Hawk  pinches  him  ;  an  inarticidate  sound. 
Boy.    I    did     yell  —  inside    myself;     oh,    and    it 

hurts ! 
ScARAMEL.  That 's  all  right. 
Boy.  Ho,  lor' !     Why,  you  be  the  mummers.     I 

thought  you  was  thieves. 
ScARAMEL.  Impudent  bumpkin  !    Pinch  him  again  I 

39 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  Boy.  Naow !     Steady  on,  steady  on.     Why,  I  was 

lookin'  for  you  when  you  found  me.     Ha,  ha  ! 
All.  Ba-a-a-a. 
Boy.  I   want    to   run   away   with   you   and    be   a 

mummer. 
All.  Oh! 

Callow.  That  will  be  nice. 

Boy.  I  'm  glad  you  're  glad.    What 's  your  name  ? 
Callow.    Christopherothchilyoctopusomegatommy- 

rotempusemulsio  Smith. 
Boy.  It 's  a  nice  little  name.     I  '11  get  you  to  write 

it  down. 
Mouth.  What  shall  we  do  with  him  ? 
ScARAMEL.  What  can  you  do,  clodhopper  ? 
Kennel.  Can  you  sing  ?     Can  you  dance  ? 
ScARAMEL.  Can  you  find  us  a  ladder  ? 
Boy.  What  for? 

ScARAMEL.  Don't  ask  silly  questions. 
Hawk.  Why,  for  fun. 
Boy.  There 's  one  by  the  shed.       ^ 
S CARAMEL.  Fetch  it. 
Boy.  To  the  right,  round  the  corner. 
ScARAMEL.  Quietly. 

\_Exeunt  three  of  the  Mummers. 
ScARAMEL.  And  so,  my  innocent  young  friend,  you 

want  to  see  the  world  ? 
Boy.  Ah,  what  I  says  is,  give  me  Life. 
ScARAMEL.  Have  you  money  ? 
40 


PRUNELLA 

Boy.  No  ;  I  '11  earn  it  by  playing  the  fool.  act  ii 

ScARAMEL.  Quite  likely. 

Boy.  Just  as  you  do. 

S CARAMEL.  Now  you  CEu't  comc  alone. 

Boy.  Can't  I? 

ScARAMEL.  Not  with  US ;   you  must  bring  a  maid 

with  you. 
Boy.  Oh,  I  can  wait  on  myself. 
ScARAMEL,  Come,  is  there  no  pretty  maid  in  the 

house — one  that  you  'd  like  to  see  Life  with  for  a 

bit? 
Boy.  Oh,  now  I  take  you. 
ScARAMEL.  Whose  window  is  that  ? 
Boy.  Oh,  that 's  Aunt  Prude's.     I  won't  have  her. 

She  snores.     Quiet  now,  and  you  'II  hear  her. 
ScARAMEL.  The  next  ? 
Boy.  That 's  a  passage. 
ScARAMEL.  Well,  the  one  beyond  ? 
Boy.  Never  you  mind.     I  '11  have  her  if  she  '11  come. 

We  must  wait  till  to-morrow  to  ask. 
ScARAMEL.  That's  Miss  Prunella's? 
Boy.  You  are  quick. 
ScARAMEL.  Thank  you,  that's  what  I  wanted  to 

know. 
Hawk.  What  now  ? 

ScARAMEL.  Oh,  tie  him  up  somewhere  safe  and  quiet. 
[ScARAMEL   goes    to  fetch  Pierrot.      The 
ladder  is  brought  on. 

41 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  Boy.  Tie  me  up  somewhere  ? 

Hawk.  No,  nonsense  I  you  re  one  of  us  now.    Dare- 
devil 's  your  name. 

Boy.  No,  it  isn't. 

Hawk.  And  now 's  your  time  to  carry  her  off. 

Boy.  What!      Wake    her    up   at  this   time    o' 
night  ? 

Mouth.  There 's  the  ladder  against  her  window. 

Kennel.  Now  serenade  her. 

Boy.  Sera 

Kennel.  Sing  to  her. 

Boy.  My !    That  'd  wake  her. 

Callow.  Then  up  you  go. 

Mouth.  And  in  at  the  window. 

Boy.  Oh,  I  'm  feared  she  'd  think  I  was  intruding. 

Hawk.  Bah  !  you  re  afraid. 

Boy.  No,  I  ain't.     But  is  it  good  manners  ?     I  've 
been  brought  up  well. 

Mouth.  First  you  must  sing.    Here 's  my  mandolin. 

Boy.  What  must  I  sing  ? 

Callow.  That  your  heart  is  fluttering  like  a  little 
dicky-bird. 

Boy.  I  don't  think  I  know  that  one. 

Mouth.  What  do  you  know  ? 

Boy.  Well,    will    this    do?       'O     you     naughty, 

naughty  birds,  now  will  you ' 

[Pierrot  comes  in,  follozved  by  Scaramel. 

Pierrot.  What 's  this  ? 
42 


PRUNELLA 

Boy.  Now,  you  put  me  off.  act  ii 

ScARAMEL.  Put  him  safe  somewhere,  didn't  I  tell 

you? 
Hawk.  Come  now,  you  shall  finish  it  later. 
Boy.  '  Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11 ' — what  are 

you  doing  ? 
Kennel.  Truss  him  tight. 
Boy.  This  ain't  part  of  the  game. 
Mouth.  Yes,  it  is. 
Boy.  This  ain't  seeing  Life. 
Callow.  Oh  yes,  it  is. 
Boy.  Now  you  let  me  go,  or  I  '11  holler. 
Hawk.  Oh  no,  you  won't.  [G^ig'^  him. 

ScARAMEL.  Now  listcu   to   me,   my   rustic  friend. 

You  're  a  clod,  and  must  stay  a  clod.     Don't  be 

flying,  or  you  '11   come  to  grief.     Can  you  hear 

me  ?     That 's  right.     Think  it  over  till  morning 

under  the  hedge.     Now  roll  him  away. 

[They  roll  him  up  to  the  hedge. 
Hawk.  Roly-poly  gardener's  boy. 
Mouth.  Safe  like  a  hedgehog. 
Callow.  Good-night. 
Mouth.  Sleep  well. 
ScARAMEL  \_To  Pierrot].     Yes,  master,  that's  her 

window. 
Pierrot.  Ah,  my  bird, 

Be  not  too  tame ! 
ScARAMEL.  Master,  we  wait  your  word. 

43 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  Pierrot.  Come,  comrades,  then,  stand  back  into  the 
shade ! 

Round  us,  night  opens  her  sweet  ears  afraid. 

Dusk  in  her  eyes.     Now  call !  and  like  a  snare 

Send  invitation  up  through  the  soft  air. 

To  that  well-feathered  nest  that  lacks  its  pair ! 
All  [Sing']. 

Sleeper,  awake,  arise,  look  out ! 
Hawk.  The  night  owl  calls  and  bats  are  about. 
All.  And  we  call  too.     Come  down,  Pierrette  ! 
Romp.  Here    in    our  midst  there 's    sport  and  to 

spare. 
Coquette.  Here  with  us  there's  a  heart  to  share. 
Tawdry.  Lie-a-bed,  lie-a-bed,  why  d'  you  stay  there. 
All.  What  means  waiting  ?    Come  down,  Pierrette ! 
Kennel.  Here  over    morals   the   moon   throws   a 

shade. 
Mouth.  Here  with  us  there 's  a  game  to  be  played. 
Hawk.  Here  where  the   merry-thought  waits  for 

the  maid. 
All.  Why  are  you  waiting  ?    Come  down,  Pierrette  ! 
Callow.  Come  and  find  comfort,  come  down,  down, 

down! 
Doll.  So   we  are  to   have   another  queen  again? 

Will  you  serve  her  ? 
Coquette.  Perhaps — as  she  deserves. 
Tawdry.  I  '11  not. 
Romp.  Ah,  you  're  jealous. 
44 


PRUNELLA 

Tawdry.  I  ?     What  for !     A  mere  penny-toy  like  act  ii 

her? 
Pierrot.  The  curtain  stirred  ! 
ScARAMEL.  Back  there  into  the  shade  ! 

[  They  all  shrink  hack  into  the  shade.    Pierrot 
remains  alone.     Prunella  opens  her  win- 
dow. 
Prunella.  Who  is  there  ?     Who  are  you  ? 
Pierrot.  The  man  in  the  moon. 
Prunella.  Oh !     Why  have  you  come  back  ? 
Pierrot.  You  called  me  !     I  came  soon. 
Prunella.  I  ? 
Pierrot.  You   called   me   in   a  dream ;    and  in  a 

dream  I  came. 
Prunella.  No — for  I  have  not  slept. 
Pierrot.  You  are  asleep  now.     Will  you  not  come 

down  ? 
Prunella.  Asleep  ? 
Pierrot.  Will  you  come  down  ? 
Prunella.  How  can  I  come  ? 

Pierrot.  See  !    Out  here  waiting  for  you  is  a  ladder 

of  dreams.     Come  down,  and  the  dream  will 

come  true  !  \_Pauscs.     She  makes  no  sign. 

Shall  I  come  up  and  be  your  dream  ?    Speak,  give 

me  a  sign  !  [^She  shakes  her  head. 

Then  come  down,  and  be  mine ! 

Prunella.  Ah,  but  I  dare  not !     Oh,  what  would 

they  say  if  they  knew  ? 

45 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  PiEREOT.  They  would  say  nothing.      They  won't 
mind,  they  are  asleep  too. 
People  when  sleeping  come  out  of  their  shells  and 

find  wings : 
Dreaming,  they  wake  to  a  world  full  of  beautiful 

things. 
They  become  wise,  they  open  their  eyes  and  can 

see; 
They   become    happy  and  young,  they   become 
free! 
Prunella.  Pierrot,  is  it  you,  is  it  you  that  is  saying 
all  that;   or  is  the  world  talking   to   me   in   its 
sleep  ? 
Pierrot.  It  is  the  world,  Pierrette,  and  Love  ! 
Prunella.  Just  now  I  heard  voices  calling  me  from 

below,  and  now  I  seem  to  hear  them  again. 
Pierrot.  Tell  me  what  they  say  ? 
Prunella.  All  the  things  I  have  ever  said  to  my- 
self  and   wished   to    be  true.      The  trees   say, 
*  Come  and  hide  in  us  ! '     The  grass  says,  '  Come 
and  walk  on  me  ! '      The  dewdrops  say,  '  Come 
and  dance  with  us ! '     And  the  air  is  like  milk 
and  honey  to  my  lips  as  I  lean  out  and  breathe. 
Pierrot.  And  the  moon  says,  *  I  am  full  of  love, 

and  my  beams  bring  happiness  I ' 
Prunella  [Sighs].     Ah ! 

Pierrot.  Pierrette,  it  is  already  time  for  us  to  say 
good-bye. 
46 


PRUNELLA 

Prunella.  Where  are  you  going  now  ?  act  ii 

Pierrot.  To   my   playground,   the  world :     where 

the  gardens  have   no  hedges   and  the   roses   no 

thorns,  and  where  all  birds  fly  free.      Pierrette, 

Pierrette,  come  out  of  your  cage  !     Come  down ! 

Pruxella.    I — I    must !      For    a    moment — for    a 

moment  only ! 
Pierrot.  Life 's  but  a  moment. 

[Pierrot  makes  a  signal  to  Scaramel,  ivho 

gives  him  Doll's  cloah.     He  runs  with  it 

lip  the  ladder  and  receives  Prunella  in  his 

arms. 

Doll.  Pff !  I  m  cold  !    It  was  I  said  I  'd  be  nice  to 

her,  and  now  they  take  my  cloak. 
Callow  \_Emh7-acing  her'].     Let  me  warm  it  again  1 
Doll.  I  don't  want  you. 
Cali^ow.  None  of  me  ?     Oh,  feel  my  heart ! 
Romp.  Oh,  look,  he  's  bringing  her  down  ! 
All.  Pierrette,  Pierrette ! 

[Pierrot  and  Prunella  advance;  he  holds  up 

his  hand  for  silence.      They  all  stop  and 

become   solemn.      Prunella    stands    very 

still. 

Pierrot.  Now  you  are  come,  tell  me  what 's  in  your 

mind. 
Prunella.  The  love  I  fear  to  lose,  the  love  I  find : 
Those  who  might  miss  me — those  whom  I  might 
miss. 

47 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  Pierrot.  Forget,  let  the  rest  go  !     Remember  this  I 

[IGsses  he?'  on  the  lips. 
Prunella.  Ah ! 

Pierrot.  Flower  of  night,  flower  of  night  I 
Come  and  stand  within  the  light. 
And  look  into  the  heavens  above. 
Where  the  moon  hangs  like  a  hive. 
And  the  stars  are  all  alive  ; 
For  the  stars  are  the  bees  of  love. 

Flower  of  night,  flower  of  night  I 

My  love  and  my  delight ! 

Oh,  come,  and  we  will  be  there  soon ! 

AVhere  the  night  waits  warm. 

And  the  bees  all  in  a  swarm 

Are  hanging  honey  up  to  the  moon  I 

Flower  of  light,  dear  delight, 

Let  our  bed  be  there  to-night ! 

Oh,  come,  and  we  will  sleep  there  soon ! 

And  there  we  will  dwell, 

Two  hearts  in  one  cell. 

And  eat  up  all  the  honey  in  the  moon. 

\_While  the  song  goes  on,  the  rest  have  crept 
away,  finger  on  Up,  leaving  the  lovers  alone. 
Now  they  creep  from  behind  the  hedges,  re- 
peating the  last  line.  A  murmur  of '  Queen- 
bee,  Queen-beef  lises. 
Pierrot.  Why  do  you  stand  so  still  ? 
48 


PRUNELLA 

Pruneli>a.  It  is  too  far  act  ii 

For  me  to  go. 
PiERUOT.  Why,  what  a  child  you  are  ! 

Do  far  things  frighten  you  ? 
Prunella.  Where  should  I  be 

In  the  great  empty  world  ? 
Pierrot.  You  'd  be  with  me. 

Prunella.  Always  ? 

Pierrot.  Yes,  practically  always.    Come  I 

Prunella.  No,  loose  my  hands,  let  be  !    I  must  go 

home. 
Pierrot.  Thy  home  is  Love.     Sweetheart,  speak 
truth  and  tell : 
At  this  cold  fountain  learn  Love's  oracle  ! 

\_Hc  leads  he?^  to  the  fountain:  all  the  JMummers 
wrap  themselves  in  cloaks  and  follow  in 
procession;  they  stand  looking  on,  while 
Pierrot  and  Prunella  advance  towards 
the  statue. 

Pierrot.     Here  turned  to  stone 
The  God  of  Flame 
Stands  all  alone, 
And  mocks  his  name  : 
Bereft  of  breath 
He  stands  and  looks  like  death  I 

Mute  on  his  viol 
Lies  his  bow ; 
D  49 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  As  on  a  dial 

Here  shadows  show, — 
O  heavy  crime  ! — 
The  waste,  the  waste  of  time  I 
Prunella  [Kneeling]. 

O  stony  youth, 
IVIute  lips,  blind  eyes, 
Reveal  the  truth  ! 
Awake,  arise ! 
Tell  me,  oh,  tell. 
If  Love  indeed  be  well  I 
[Pause.    Love    xvakes.      He  draws  his  bow 
across  his  viol  a  fid  speaks. 
Love.  Yea,  hearken  to  the  lips  of  Love  1 
Where  he  abideth  all  is  well, 
His  eyes  do  move  the  stars  above, 
He    holds    the    Heavens    beneath    his 

spell ; 
And  in  thy  heart  thou  hear'st  the  chime 
Of  Love  whose  feet  shall  outrun  time. 
[The  Mummers  make  a  circle  about  the  lovers, 
and  move  slowly  round  them  in  solemn  pro- 
cession. 
Prunella.  I  hear  the  sound,  I  must  obey  I 

Ah,  where  am  I  since  yesterday  ? 
Pierrot.  Years,  and  a  hundred  leagues  away  1 
Prunella.  There  I  find  thee,  O  swiftest  foot  on 
earth  1 
50 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  So  runs  my  wish:  [7b  hmself.] —which  act  ii 

yesterday  had  birth. 
Prunella  [Turning-  to  look  back  at  her  window]. 

Yet  see,  look  there  :  how  desolate  it  seems  I 

Let  me  go  back  and  gather  up  my  dreams, 

Where  I  have  slept  so  well ! 
Pierrot.  You  must  forget 

Your  former  dreams,  now  you  are  Pierrette. 
Prunella.  Why  force  me  thus  to  go  ? 
Pierrot.  Nay,  you  are  free. 
Prunella.  Let  me  stay  here ! 
Pierrot.  Then  do  not  come  with  me.  [Pause, 

See  yonder  star,  and  yonder  see ! 
And,  up  above,  the  milky  way  I 
But  yonder  is  the  star  for  thee, 
Where  we  shall  be  ere  dawn  of  day, — 
Up  hill,  down  dale,  and  far  away. 
Prunella.  One  hangs  on  yonder  cypress  spray : 
Nay,  look  how  pale  and  wan  for  proof 
He  hangs,  imploring  me  to  stay  ! 
And  one  goes  down  behind  the  roof. 
Where  shall  I  be  ere  dawn  of  day  ? 
Pierrot.  Years,  and  a  hundred  leagues  away  ! 

[A  dance  begins  round  the  two  lovers.  At 
intervals  Love  strikes  a  note  on  his  viol 
which  gives  the  beat  to  the  other  music. 
The  Coluvibines  take  off  Prunella's  cloak 

51 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  II  and  reveal  her  as  a  Pierrette.     They  pelt 

her  zvith  white  blossoms,  till  she  seems  a 
cloud  of  Jioxvers.  At  the  end  of  the  dance 
Pierrot  advances  and  ci'owns  her  with  a 
wreath  of  flowers. 

Pierrot.  What  you  have  dreamed  to-night,  do  not 
forget. 
Farewell,  Prunella ! 

Prunella.  I  am — Pierrette  I 

[Love  strikes  a  note  on  his  viol.  Prunella 
throws  up  her  a?^ms  in  a  gesture  of  sur- 
render, and  flies  into  Pierrot's  arms.  He 
lifts  her  bodily  and  caj^iies  her  away.  There 
is  a  burst  of  laughter  from  the  Mummers  : 
they  pelt  the  statue  with  flowers,  and 
romp  off.  After  a  minute  enter  the  two 
gardeners  with  heavy  staves  and  a  lanteim. 
The  cuckoo  clock  in  the  house  stiikes  three. 
They  search  round  timorously  and  scratch 
their  heads.  One  of  them  sees  the  open 
window  and  ladder,  and  mounts  to  look  in- 
to the  empty  chamber.  The  gardeners  Boy 
rolls  out  from  under  the  hedge,  frightening 
the  other  gardener  terribly.  Love  draws 
his  bow,  and  strikes  a  triumphant  note. 
The  gardener  dashes  towards  him  and 
stiikes  him  with  his  staff.  The  bow  falls 
broken  from  Love's  hand. 
52 


PRUNELLA 


ACT  III 

Three  years  have  elapsed.     Sunset.      The  garden  is  overgrown,  weedy, 

and  neglected.     The  fountain  is  moss-grown  and  thick  with  creepers. 

The  house-shutters  are  closed  all  hut  one  or  two ;  a  notice  '  To 

Let '  stands  near. 
The  Boy  is  discovered  dragging  gardening  tools  across  the  stage  in 

a  listless  and  desultory  fashion,  piling  them  on  a  bench,  or  packing 

them  into  an  open  hand-barrow. 

Boy  [Shtgs  dolefullij]. 

My  father  said,  my  father  said  : 

What  did  my  father  say  ? 
*  So  long  as  you  stands  on  yer  'ead 
You  're  sure  to  find  yer  way  ! ' 
'UUo !  there 's  that  bird  again.     \Vaits  till  he  sees 
me  pack  my  clappers  and  then  he  begins  of 
'imself.     Sh  !  Sh  !     You  just  get  out  till  I'm 
gone  !     Take  that,  and  say  I  told  yer  ! 

[Throws  stone,  and  then  begins  to  wheel  away 
hand-barrow. 
Three  years  ago  he  told  me  so  : 

But  when  my  thoughts  do  run, 
Then  all  the  work  I  'ad  to  do 
I  'as  to  leave  undone. 

53 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Quaint  {^Entering  fi'om  house].      Boy  I  here,  boy  I 
Leave  the  spade. 

Boy.  Boy  yerself !    Who  are  you  talking  to  ? 

Quaint.  Why  don't  you  come  when  you  are  called  ? 

Boy.  If  you  requires  to  attrack  my  notice,  you 
better  say  *  Mister  Gardener ' ;  else  I  mayn't 
'ear  yer. 

Quaint.  Pooh ! 

Boy.  When  you  come  into  my  garden,  you  acts 
according.  I  don't  come  and  poke  my  'ead  into 
the  'ouse  and  say,  '  Gal !  old  gal ! '  do  I  ?  Gar- 
dener 's  what  I  am  now — same  as  I  'm  always 
telling  yer. 

Quaint.  Fine  gardener  indeed  I 

Boy.  'Ead  gardener. 

Quaint.  Well,  I  doubt  if  the  new  owner  '11  take  you 
on,  when  he  sees  the  state  the  garden  is  in  now. 
Have  you  taken  all  the  tools  down  to  the 
cottage  ? 

Boy.  If  you  'd  eyes  in  yer  'ead  you'd  see.  'T  's  what 
I  'm  doing  now. 

Quaint.  Mistress  informed  me  to  tell  you  that  she 
wants  all  the  flowers  from  JNliss  Prunella's  garden 
taken.  You'd  better  come  back  for  them  after- 
wards :  leave  the  spade  ! 

Boy.  Leave  the  garden !  There 's  missis's  bell  a- 
hollering  for  yer  I     You  go,  or  you  '11  catch  it. 

Quaint.  Pho  I 

54  [Exit  into  house. 


PRUNELLA 

Boy  [Trails  across  to  bench,  leaves  broom,  and  takes  act  hi 
spade  with  him,  crossing  in  front  of  statue'].  What 
are  you  looking  at  me  for  ? — ain't  said  nothing  to 
you.  [Retires  up  with  hand-barrow.  Enter 
Privacy  followed  by  Quaint  :  she  descends  slowhf 
and  enters  the  garden.  Quaint  locks  the  door  and 
signals  confemptiioiishj  to  Boy  to  go.  Privacy 
sighs.  Quaint  echoes  her  with  exaggerated  senti- 
ment to  convey  sympathy  and  attract  approval. 
Exit  Boy  sloivly,  imitating  Quaint's  sigh  as  he 
goes.] 

Quaint.  Hem  I 

Privacy.  Have  you  the  keys  ?  Is  everything  locked 
now? 

Quaint.  Everything  that  would  lock,  ma'am!  Some 
of  the  keys  won't  work. 

Privacy.  Oh,  it  doesn't  matter.  There's  nothing 
here  that  any  one  would  want  to  take. 

Quaint.  Are  we  to  wait  and  give  the  keys  to  the 
gentleman  ? 

Privacy.  Yes,  he  will  be  here  presently. 

Quaint.  Well,  I  do  wonder,  if  he 's  such  a  rich 
gentleman  as  they  say  he  is,  how  ever  he  can 
care  to  come  and  live  in  such  a  place — as  it  is 
now. 

Privacy.  He  does  not  intend  to  live  here. 

Quaint.  Oh,  if  he  only  means  to  die  here,  the 
place '11   suit  him  well  enough!     [Softening.]     I 

55 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  beg  your  pardon,  ma'am,  I  didn't  mean  anything. 
It  wasn't  that  I  was  thinking  about — though 
what 's  a  black  dress  for,  if  it  isn't  to  make  you 
hang  your  head  like  a  tear-drop  ?  No,  ma'am,  it 's 
only  this  lonesomeness  gets  so  on  one's  nerves.  I 
wonder  you  could  bring  yourself  to  stay  as  long 
as  you  have. 

Privacy.  I  had  recollections  to  keep  me  here. 

Quaint.  Ah,  my  poor  mistresses !  They  wouldn't 
have  wished  to  see  you  here,  with  the  place  like 
this — all  so  shamefaced  as  it  looks  now  1 

Privacy.  I  had  other  reasons.  Quaint. 

Quaint.  I  dare  say  you  had,  ma'am.  Most  people 
have  reasons  for  doin";  foolish  thinsfs. 

Privacy.  I  thought  that  some  day  Prunella  might 
come  back,  and  I  could  not  bear  the  thought  of 
her  finding  nobody  here — or  only  strangers. 

Quaint.  Oh,  don't  trouble  yourself,  ma'am !  She 
won't  come  back.  She  has  forgotten  you.  She 
doesn't  care ! — going  off  like  that  with  a  lot  of 
giddy-gaddles. 

Privacy.  Perhaps  it  was  we  who  drove  her  away. 

Quaint.  I  don't  think  she  took  much  driving. 

Privacy.  We  old  maids  forget  what  youth  is  like. 
Perhaps — without  meaning  to — we  made  life  too 
hard  for  her. 

Quaint.  Ah,  well,  she  has  got  the  making  of  that  in 
her  own  hands  now,  and  they're  about  full,  I'll 
56 


PRUNELLA 

be  bound.     Psh !     You  were  always  softer  than  act  hi 

the  others.     I  never  heard  them  say  a  word.     I  'd 

hke  to  have  seen  her  daring  to  put  her  nose  in 

here  while  they  were  alive  ! 
Privacy.     Hush  I     [A  bell  rmgs.      Privacy  looks 

agitated.'] 
Quaint.  Good  lud !  ma'am,  why  do  you  start  like 

that  ?     Now  you  're  all  of  a  tremble. 

Privacy.  I  always  think  and  hope 

Quaint.  The    gate    always    stands    open,   ma'am. 

She  'd  never  ring  the  bell. 
Privacy.  No,  she  'd  never  ring  the  bell.     The  gate 

stands  open  always,  and  at  night  a  lamp  has  burnt. 
Quaint.  Shall  I  go,  ma'am  ? 
Privacy.  Of  course.     This  must  be  he. 

[Quaint  goes. 
How  poor  the  place  is  ;  weeds  are  everywhere. 
Dead  leaves    beneath    one's   feet,   rustling    like 

memories : 
Poor,  restless  ghosts  of  unforgotten  time. 

Entei^  Pierrot  and  Scaramel,  shown  in  by  Quaint. 

Privacy.  Sir,  you  are  very  punctual. 

Pierrot.  Am  I  punctual,  Scaramel  ? 

ScARA]viEL.  Master,  we  have  accompHshed  twenty- 
one  miles  in  fifty-five  minutes. 

Pierrot.  That  seems  slow.  So  this  is  the  place  I 
remember. 

57 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Privacy.  You  have  been  here  before  ? 

Pierrot.  Once  upon  a  time.  A  charming  dull 
spot.     But  changed,  but  changed. 

Privacy.  You  don't  find  what  you  expected  ? 

Pierrot.  Scaramel,  did  I  expect  anything? 

ScARAMEL.  My  master  now  makes  it  his  rule  never 
to  expect  anything.  So  he  is  never  disap- 
pointed. 

Pierrot.  You  wonder,  madam,  what  my  interest  in 
buying  such  a  place  can  be.  I  once  picked  up 
here,  by  chance,  a  treasure,  a  trinket,  which  I 
have  since  lost. 

Privacy  [  With  sudden  intuitioii].  Prunella  ? 

Pierrot.  I  beg  your  pardon. 

Privacy.  Prunella,  Prunella,  Prunella ! 

Pierrot.  I  had  forgotten  her  name. 

Scaramel.  We  called  her  by  some  other. 

Privacy.  It  was  you,  it  was  you  I 

Pierrot.  Yes,  it  was  I. 

Privacy.  Where  is  she  now? 

Pierrot.  I  often  wonder. 

Privacy.  Oh,  we  forgave  her  going ;  almost  we 
would  have  forgiven  you  the  theft.  But  you  are 
heartless. 

Pierrot.  That  is  true.  How  did  you  find  it  out  ? 
No  matter.     Every  one  finds  me  out  now. 

Privacy.  But  tell  me  all  you  know. 

Pierrot.  Tell  her,  Scaramel. 
58 


PRUNELLA 

ScAHAMEL.  Madam,  the  story  is  not  interesting  act  hi 
unless  my  telling  make  it  so ;  and  there  is  much 
that  you  may  not  understand.  I  think  we  may 
claim  that  we  educated  her.  Her  education, 
madam,  was  very  deficient ;  she  had  been  much 
neglected.  Life  was  a  dead  letter  to  her.  We 
tanght  her  everything.  She  learned  to  dance,  to 
laugh,  to  sing,  to  love.  For  a  time  it  seemed 
that  there  was  nothing  she  could  not  learn.  She 
loved  my  master  very  faithfully,  and  my  master 
accepted  the  situation  like  a  man.  He  has  a  tender 
heart,  he  likes  to  see  happy  faces  around  him,  and 
so  he  took  a  step  which — not  through  his  own 
fault — led  to  a  little  misunderstanding. 

Pierrot.  Scaramel,  I  am  disposed  to  tell  this  my- 
self. But  stay  near  me  :  I  may  need  prompting. 
What  was  that  original  remark  I  made  about 
women  the  other  day,  Scaramel  ? 

Scaramel.  Master,  you  said  they  puzzled  you. 

Pierrot.  Ah !  It  is  still  true.  They  are  so  illogical. 
Think,  madam,  she  said  she  loved  me  and  yet  she 
left  me  !  Well,  you  shall  hear.  For  two  years — 
it  was  two  years,  was  it  not,  Scaramel  ? — for  two 
happy  years  we  had  wandered  together  from  place 
to  place,  seeing  the  world — foreign  countries,  and 
people,  and  gay  towns.  We  danced,  we  laughed, 
we  sang.  We  were  married — she  had  wished  it. 
[He  shrvgs.']     People  laughed  when  I  told  them 

59 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  that.  *  Pierrot  married  ! '  they  said,  '  Oh  no  ! — 
unless  he  has  married  a  dozen.'  But  we  were 
married — that  was  what  made  things  difficult. 
I  wasn't  used  to  being  married — it 's  outside  my 
habits  altogether :  it  was  strange,  and  everybody 
laughed  so.  And  one  day  it  seemed  so  fooUsh 
that  I — went  away  and  left  her. 

Privacy.  You  said  that  she  left  you. 

Pierrot.  Ah,  not  then,  not  then  !  That  was  later. 
I  left  her — saying  nothing :  it  is  so  much  easier 
to  say  nothing  when  you  've  nothing  to  say.  But 
before  I  went  I  had  given  her  a  lot  of  money,  and 
a  lot  of  pretty  things,  dresses,  trinkets,  bon-bons 
— everything  I  could  think  of  to  make  her  happy 
— except — my  love.  \_He  begins  to  be  carried 
away  by  his  story,  and  to  lose  his  pose  of  indiffer- 
ence.'] I  took  that  with  me.  And  presently  I 
found  I  couldn't  get  rid  of  it ;  and  it  grew  heavier 
and  heavier,  till  my  heart  began  to — what  did  my 
heart  begin  to  do,  Scaramel  ? 

ScARAJViEL.  Your  heart  became  bad  company,  Master. 

Pierrot.  Yes,  it  was  quite  distressing !  I  couldn't 
amuse  myself:  I  couldn't  dance,  or  laugh,  or 
sing.  It  always  came  and  caught  me  by  the 
throat,  and  said,  or  seemed  to  say,  '  You  thief  I 
you  fool ! '  I  tried  cures  ;  but  they  were  no  good. 
And  so,  and  so — at  last  I  went  back  to  see  if  the 
cure  was  there. 
60 


PRUNELLA 

Privacy.  Yes  ?  act  hi 

Pierrot.  I  had  been  gone  a  whole  year ;  but  I 
came  back  again.  You  see,  now — it  was  not 
I  who  left  her;  she  didn't  wait  for  me  long 
enough.  There  was  the  little  house,  just  as  I 
had  left  it :  she  hadn't  taken  a  penny,  she  hadn't 
touched  a  thing.  Even  the  last  thing  I  gave 
her  before  I  went  I  found  lying  covered  over 
with  dust  inside  the  empty  house  which  I  opened 
with  my  own  key.  And  in  the  garden  was  a 
small  stone,  and  on  it  was  written  :  '  Here  lies — 
Pierrette.' 

Privacy.  Who  was  *  Pierrette  ? ' 

Pierrot.  You  may  explain  that,  Scaramel. 

Scaramel.  Pierrette  was  the  name  of  my  master's 
love  for  her.  She  probably  goes  by  some  other 
name  now,  if  she  is  still  alive.  To  us,  of  course, 
she  chose  to  die.  What  may  have  happened 
since 

Privacy.  You  neither  know  nor  care. 

ScARAJViEL.  It  was  an  episode. 

Privacy.  I  thank  you  for  the  story,  sir. 

ScARAiviEL.  Not  at  all.  INIy  master  rather  likes  to 
relate  it.  I  notice  it  grows  late.  We  expect 
guests.    They  are  almost  due. 

Privacy.  I  will  leave  you  in  full  possession.  My 
maid  will  hand  you  the  keys. 

[Quaint  talks  to  Scaramel. 
61 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Pierrot.  JNIadam,  this  seems  almost  like  turning 

you  out. 
Privacy.  INIy  means  no  longer  permit  me  to  live 

where  I  would  wish. 
Pierrot.  That  is  a  pity ! — not  to  be  able  to  do  as 

one  wishes.    And  you  have  grown  to  be  a  part  of 

the  place :  its  atmosphere  clings  round  you.    Do 

you  mean  to  go — quite  away  ? 
Privacy.    To    a    cottage    beyond    the    gates.      I 

dare  not  go  as  far  as  I  would  wish.     She  might 

return. 
Pierrot.  She — might — return.     Scaramel!     Have 

you  any ?     [Scarajviel  gives  him  his  pu7'se.'] 

I  fear  you  are  poor  ? 
Privacy.  IMy  poverty  is  not  of  your  making,  and 

my  sorrow  money  will  not  buy  from  me.     I  will 

intrude  no  longer.  [Ea^it  Privacy. 

Pierrot.    Really,    Scaramel,     have    you     no    re- 
partee ? 
ScARAaiEL.  Master,  I  was  not  listening. 
Pierrot.  Then  that  was  as  well.     Give  me  the  key 

of  the  house. 
Scaramel  [To  Quaint].     Give  me  the  key  of  the 

house. 
Quaint.  There  are  the  keys. 
Scaramel.  Which  is  it  ? 
Pierrot.  Quickly,  quickly. 
Scaraaiel.  Is  it  a  large  key  ? 
62 


PRUNELLA 

Quaint.  No,  it  s  a  small  key.     \_He  finds  a  key.']  act  hi 

That  is  the  key  of  the  garden  gate. 
Pierrot  and  Scaramel  [Gidlfily  startled].  Eh  ? 
Quaint.  That 's  the  house  key.      [Pierrot  takes  it. 
Pierrot.  It 's  not  a  watch-key,  nor  a  bed-key,  not 

a  watch-key,  nor  a  bed-key.  [Goes  into  house. 

ScARAMEL.  Dear  me,  now  ! 
Quaint.  Your  master's  mad,  I  don't  mind  telling 

you. 
ScARAMEL.  Original,  my  good  woman  :  at  the  most, 

eccentric.     It  suits  him. 
Quaint.  And  he  's  a  villain. 
Scara:mel.  My  good  w^oman,  if  you  were  a  little 

more  up  in  the  world 

Quaint.  And  if  you  were  a  little  more  up  in  the 

world — upon  a  ten-foot  gallows,  you  and  your 

master  too — the  w^orld'd   be   sweeter.       He's  a 

rogue. 
ScARAMEL.  If  you  wcrc  more  up  in  the  ivays  of  the 

world,  you  'd  know^  that  it 's  usual  for  us  to  abuse 

our  own  masters,  not  each  other's. 
Quaint.  Well,  my  mistress  is  a  fool,  but  he's  a 

scoundrel.     What 's  he  come  back  here  for  ? 
ScARAMEL.  Would  you  understand  if  I  said  '  to  lay 

a  ghost '  ? 
Quaint.  No,  I  shouldn't. 
ScARA3iEL.  Then  I  won't  tell  you. 
Quaint.  Ghost  indeed  !    He  's  little  better  himself  1 

63 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  A  whited  sepulchre 's  what  he  is.  Silkworms  '11 
eat  him  !  I  can  see  his  angling  skeleton  grinning 
out  of  him  already.  Yours  too.  Yours  is  a  black 
one.     Whalebone. 

ScARAMEL.  My  good  woman,  you  have  no  dignity. 
Masters  aren't  worth  quarrelling  about.  They 
mean  wages,  nothing  more.  There  are  good 
places  and  bad  places.  Now,  I  'm  busy  :  you  'd 
better  go ! 

Quaint.  Well,  you  11  find  your  place  some  day. 
[^Points  down.']  \_Exit  Quaint. 

ScARAMEL  \_Smiling].  Now  that's  a  woman's  way 
of  saying  it,  and  neat  too.  Well,  I  must  buck ; 
there 's  a  lot  to  be  done  ! 

E7ite7^  Kennel. 

Callow  [^Outside],     O   you   little   moulting  birds, 
now  will  you  ? 
Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you ! 

Enter  Callow. 

Kennel.  What  ho,  Scaramel !    Hark  to  this  belated 

youth ! 
Scaramel.  That 's  just  what  he  is,  a  belated  youth. 

Where  are  the  rest  ? 
Kennel.  How  should  I  know  ?     Lost  their  way, 

most  likely. 
64 


PRUNELLA 

ScARAMEL.  Well,  you  've  found  yours.     You  are  in  act  in 
luck. 

Re-enter  Boy,  with  spade  on  shoulder. 

Boy.  Why,  it 's  the  mummers  ! 

Callow.  Who's  that?  What  has  he  ffot  in  his 
hand  ? 

Kennel.  A  spade ! 

Callow.  Who  are  you  ? 

Boy.  Me  ?  'Im  as  you  tied  up  and  put  under  the 
'edge  that  night.     Saucy  'ounds  you  was,  too ! 

ScARAMEL.  And  what  are  you  here  for  now  ? 

Boy.  'Ere  for  now  ?  Why,  I  '11  tell  yer— what  I  'as 
to  tell  everybody— I  'm  'ead  gardener  here  now  ; 
and  I  'm  diggin'  'oles  to  bury  you  in — 'ead  down- 
wards— make  yer  'air  grow,  same  as  mine — so  you 
won't  know  yerselves.       [Departing  with  dignity. 

Callow  and  Kennel  [Laughing  foolishly'].  Hee- 
hee  1     Hee-hee !     Won't  know  ourselves,  eh  ? 

[They  stop  abruptly. 

Boy  [Eeturning'].  Say,  I  'm  glad  I  didn't  come 
with  you  when  you  ast  me.  Why,  you  are  only 
a  lot  of  scarecrows  after  all !  Good-night,  bawly 
'eads ;  sleep  well,  and  don't  let  the  ghosts  wake 
yer  before  it 's  time.  [Exit. 

Callow.  Ghosts  ?     I  don't  like  that  fellow. 

Kennel.  No  ;  and  he  doesn't  like  us. 

Cai.low.  Once  he  wanted  to  come  with  us. 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  111  Kennel.  Times  have  changed.     Come,  scarecrow  I 
Callow.  What,  you  little  jays  and  jackdaws,  will 
you 
Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you ! 

[Pierrot  comes  out  of  the  house,  and  passes 
without  ohsei^ving  them  ;  they  enter  it. 
ScARAMEL.  Have  you  any  further  orders,  master  ? 
Pierrot  [Abstractedly].     Oh,  go  to  Scaramel,  ask 
him  I  [Scaramel  stai^ts. 

[Pierrot  goes  towards  fountain. 
Scaramel,  who  was  that  spoke  to  me  just  then  ? 
Scaramel.  IMaster,  the  air  of  this  place  is  not  good 

for  you.     Would  it  not  be  better  if 

Pierrot.  If  you  changed  it?  Yes,  change  it, 
Scaramel,  change  it  by  all  means,  if  you  can. 
Clear  it  of  its  vapours,  tell  the  sun  to  rise,  and 
the  birds  to  sing  ! 

Enter  Hawk  and  Mouth  with  Tawdry. 

Tawdry.  Lud,  it 's  a  weary  way  here. 

Mouth.  I  don't  think  much  of  the  place,  now  we  Ve 

got  there. 
Hawk.   Why,  then  it 's  as  well  I  can't  see  it. 
Scaramel.  Come,  you  '11  feel  better  by  supper-time. 
Mouth.  No,  my  appetite 's  gone. 
Scaramel.  But  you  're  still  greedy. 
Mouth.  I  'm  losing  my  teeth. 
Tawdry.  Times  have  changed. 
66 


PRUNELLA 

Hawk.  Times  have  changed.  act  hi 

IVIouTH.  Times  have  changed. 

[They  go  into  the  house. 
ScARAMEL.  Master! 
Pierrot.  Alone  at  the  end  of  the  day. 
As  the  sick  world  grins  by, 

Stands  this  house 

ScARA^iEL.  Master! 

Pierrot.  Eh  ? 

ScARAMEL.  The  company  arrives. 

Pierrot.  My  friends? 

ScARAJViEL.  Your  guests. 

Pierrot.  Not  the  same  thing,  is  it,  Scaramel  ? 

ScARA3iEL.  You  will  remember,  sir,  we  are  out  of 

friends  for  the  moment.  [Doll  7'uns  on. 

Doll.  Oh,  I  'm  lost,  I  'm  lost  in  this  ugly  garden. 

They  've  left  me  all  alone. 
Pierrot.  Are  you  afraid  ? 
Doll.  Yes,  very. 

Pierrot.  What  sort  of  company  d'  you  want  ? 
Doll.  I  'm  not  particular. 

Pierrot.  No,  truly.    There 's  the  house,  get  inside. 
Doll.  Won't  you  come  ? 

Pierrot.  Not  yet.  [Doll  goes  in, 

Pierrot.  Who 's  that  old  woman  ? 
Scaramel.  INIaster,  that's  Doll  with  the  painted  smile 

and  her  little  turned-in  toes.    You  remember  her  ? 
Pierrot.  She  has  grown  old. 

67 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  ScARAMEL.  Then  there 's  Hawk,  and  Callow,  and 
Kennel,  and  Mouth. 
Pierrot.  Faithful  followers  of  my  purse. 
ScARAMEL.  Master,  they  must  live. 
Pierrot.  They  call  it  living. 
ScARAMEL.  Then  there 's  Coquette. 
Pierrot.  Ah,  she 's  been  precious  in  her  time. 
ScARAJViEii.  H'm !    her    modesty 's   down    at   ankle 
now,  like  a  slipt  garter.     Romp 's  a  little  heavier 
on  the  bounce  than  she  used  to  be.     Tawdry's 
much  as  usual,  but  dressed  worse  than  ever,  and 
costing   more.      The   old   faces,   master,    as   you 
desired  ? 
Pierrot.  Well,  if  they  '11  help  me  to  remember,  or 

to  forget.     Either  way,  either  way. 
ScARAiNiEL.  H'm  !    \_He  goes  into  the  house  ;  laughter 

is  heard, 
Pierrot   \Sits  listless  by  fountain,   and  gazes  all 
round  and  up  at  house'].     How  now — 

\_Fingers  his  guitar  doubtfully. 
How  now,  everywhere,  up  in  the  air,  stars  stare  I 
Little  bird  in  your  nest,  are  you  there  ? 

\_Lets  his  guitar  fall  dejectedly. 
No  answer ! 

\_After  a  pause  he  takes  up  his  guitar  again. 
Sleep,  sleep,  for  God's  sake  let  her  wake  I   say, 

'  Take  no  rest ' 1 

\_He  breaks  off. 
68 


PRUNELLA 

I  forget,  I  forget  the  words  that  once  came  of  act  hi 
themselves. 

Re-enter  Scahamel,  with  Ms  fiddle. 

[Angrily.']     Scaramel,  there's  no  tune  in  these 

strings.     They  are  rusty. 
Scaramel.  INIaster,  everything 's  rusty  here,  it  seems 

to  me.   Nothing  goes  right,  everything  wants  oiling. 

I  shall  have  more  on  my  hands  than  I  can  do. 
Pierrot.  Get  the  others  to  help  you. 
Scaramel.  They  are  no  good.      One  can't  rouse 

them.     I  think  they  want  a  new  master. 
Pierrot.  Oh   yes,   find    them    one   by  all  means. 

What 's  the  matter  ? 
Scaramel.  Kennel 's  guttering  to  his  end.    Callow's 

brain  is  softening — what 's  left  of  it.     Mouth  has 

become    a   jibberer ;    you    can    hear    him    now  I 

Hawk's  as  blind  as  a  bat.      Not  one  of  them's 

what  he  used  to  be.  We  are  growing  old,  master. 
Pierrot.  Do  you  remember,  Scaramel,  that  night  ? 
ScARA]\iEL.  INIaster,  I  remember  many  nights.     At 

what  hour  shall  dancing  begin  ? 
Pierrot.  Ah,  how  tender  she  was !    How  fresh  and 

young ! 
Scaramel.  INI  aster,  at  what  hour  ? 
Pierrot.  Oh,  when  you  like,  when  you  like !     She 

stood  by   me   here   at  this   fountain.      Do   you 

remember,  Scaramel  ? 

69 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  ScAKAMEi..  I  wiU  remember  anything  you  wish, 
master,  as  soon  as  we  have  made  all  the  arrange- 
ments. 
Pierrot.  S caramel,  I  believe  this  stone  remembers 
more  than  you.  You  are  very  selfish,  Scaramel. 
Life  to  you  is  a  meal ;  and  there  you  sit  at  it, 
with  a  napkin  tucked  up  from  your  waist  to  your 
chin,  and  you  shut  your  eyes  and  open  your 
mouth  and  eat.  And  when  you  get  up  from  it, 
all  your  mind  will  be  like  a  bill  of  fare ;  just  a  list 
of  the  things  you  have  eaten. 
Scaramel.  Possibly,  master.     The  wines  to-night 

are 

Pierrot.  Ah  !     [^T'urns  away  in  disgust,  and  strikes 
his  hand  on  the  fountain. 
O  Love,  your  fountain  has  run  dry. 
And  have  you  lost  your  tongue  ? 

Speak,  stone! 

You  see,  Scaramel,  lie  won't  answer  me  now. 
Scaramel.  Love  never  does  answer,  master,  if  you 

treat  it  too  seriously. 
Pierrot.  That  night  this  stone  thing  seemed  to 
have  life  and  speech  !  The  water  sang  to  us,  and 
music  seemed  to  come,  one  knew  not  whence. 
Scaramel,  have  you  noticed  the  statue's  bow  is 
broken  ?  I  wish  it  repaired.  See  to  it. 
Scaramel.  Instantly,  master  I 

[He  lays  his  fiddle-bow  in  its  hand. 
70 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  Here  turned  to  stone  act  hi 

The  God  of  Flame 
Stands  all  alone, 
And  mocks  his  name. 
Bereft  of  breath 
He  stands  and  looks  like  death. 

\^A  pause. 
That  was  not  the  music  of  it. 
ScARAMEL.  Master,  there  will  be  musicians. 
Pierrot.  But  they  're  mechanical.     Hark  to  that 
bird,  the  last  in  this  garden,  I  think. 
Sweet,  sweet,  sweet,  throw  it  a  crumb. 
ScARAMEL.  Five  courses  for  supper.     Three  wines. 
And  the  dancing. 

[He  begins  to  count  on  his  fingers. 
Pierrot.  Ah,  there  again.  Sweet,  sweet,  sweet! 
No,  Bitter  sweet,  bitter  sweet,  bitter,  bitter, 
bitter !  Yes,  that  fits  best.  So  you  've  learned 
the  word  too,  have  you,  little  bird  ?  Have  you 
been  round  the  world  and  loved  more  than  you 
meant  to,  and  come  back  again,  and  found  your- 
self all  alone  ?  And  forgetting — forgetting — No. 
Scaramel !     Scaramel !  [As  he  remembers. 

Alone,  at  the  end  of  the  day 

While  the  gay  world  ran  by, 
Stood  a  house  with  a  heart  of  decay. 

Almost  ready  to  die. 

71 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  And  everything  there  seemed  to  wait ; 

For  the  hedges  were  thin  ; 
And  a  notice  was  up  at  the  gate, 
Begging  Love  to  come  in. 

But  Love  cannot  read — he  is  blind, 

So  he  came  there  one  day ; 
And  deeming  the  owner  unkind, 

He  went  his  own  way. 

No,  no  !     For  the  doors  were  set  wide. 

And  the  windows  unfast, 
And  at  night,  while  the  householder  sighed, 
Love  entered  at  last. 

[A  gong  is  heai'd. 
Pierrot  \_Panic-strickeii].     What 's  that  ? 
ScARAMEL.  Supper  is  served. 

Pierrot  {^Recoveiing  himself  \     That  matters  most. 

[Pierrot  goes  in,  followed  by  S caramel. 

Daylight  passes  into  dark.     Intermezzo. 

Enter  Prunella.  She  sinks  down,  uttei'ly  worn  out. 

Re-enter  Scarajiel. 
Scaramel.  What  are  you  doing  here,  beggar-girl  ? 
Prunella.  I  've  come  home. 
Scaramel.  Some  mistake,  I  think. 
Prunella.  Scaramel! 
Scaramel.  That's  my  name,  and  no  property  of 

yours. 
Prunella.  Don't  you  remember  me  ? 
72 


PRUNELLA 

SCAEA3IEL.    No.  ACT  III 

Enter  Doll  and  Coquette. 
Doll.  Scaramel !    Scaramel ! 
Coquette.  Don't  stay  away. 
Doll.  He 's  so  strange  to-night. 
Coquette.  You  understand  him. 

[^EcTit  Scaramel. 
Prunella.  Coquette  !     Doll ! 
Coquette  and  Doll.  Who  's  this  ? 
Prunella.  Don't  you  remember  me  ? 
Coquette  and  Doll.  No. 
Prunella.  I  was  Prunella,  I  am  Pierrette. 
Coquette  and  Doll.  Say  it  again. 
Prunella.  Oh  I 

Enter  Tawdry  and  Romp. 
Tawdry.  Doll  and  Coquette  ! 
Romp.  You  're  to  come  back. 
Coquette.  No.     Come  and  look  here. 
Doll   and   Coquette.    She  was    Prunella,   she  is 

Pierrette.     We  don't  remember  her,  do  we  ? 
Taavdry  and  Doll.  No. 
Prunella.  You  loved  me  once,  you  said  you  loved 

me. 
Tawdry  and  Romp.  Did  we  ? 
Coquette.  When  was  that  ? 
Romp.  Was  it  yesterday  ? 
Doll.  Or  the  day  before  ? 

73 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Coquette.  I  only  just  remember  yesterday. 

Tawdry.  I  can't  remember  the  day  before ;  I  never 

could. 
Doll.  Nor  I. 

Romp.  And  as  for  last  week 

Coquette.  Or  last  month,  or  last  year. 

Doll.  Why,  I  always  forget  how  old  I  am. 

Coquette  and  Doll.  We  're  very  sorry. 

Romp  and  Tawdry.  But  it  can't  be  helped,  can  it  ? 

Prunella.  But  what  are  you  doing  here  ?     This  is 

my  home. 
Doll  and  Coquette.  Is  it  ? 
Tawdry  and  Romp.  We  don't  know. 
Prunella.  This  was  my  home. 
Coquette.  Perhaps  it  has  forgotten  you  too. 
Doll.  You  're  very  ragged. 
Prunella.  I  am  poor. 
Tawdry.  And  pale. 
Prunella.  I  'm  weary. 
Romp.  And  downcast. 
Prunella.  I  'm  disappointed. 

All  Four.  No  wonder  that  we  can't  remember  you. 
Prunella.  I  have  come  so  far,  and  now,  no  welcome. 
Romp.  Are  you  hungry  too  ? 
Prunella.  I  dare  say. 

Romp.  Well,  if  I  were  you  I  'd  get  some  food  from 
somewhere.     You  '11  feel  better  then  ! 

[Scaramel  comes  back. 
74 


PRUNELLA 

ScARAMEL.  Now,  baggages,  you  're  called  for.  act  hi 

Prunella.  S caramel,  where 's  your  master  ? 

ScARAMEL.  In  the  house. 

Prunella.  I  must  see  him. 

ScARAMEL.  Oh,  indeed,  no  !    He  wouldn't  remember 

you.     Besides,  he  never  lets  me  remind  him  of 

unpleasant  things  while  he  is  at  supper. 
Prunella.  Then  where  is  my  home  ? 
Coquette.  She  's  come  a  long  way. 
Romp.  She 's  poor. 
Tawdry.  She  's  very  tired. 
Doll.  And  disappointed. 
Prunella.  Where  are  those  I  once  lived  with — 

those  who  loved  me  ? 
Scaramel.  Dead,  I  dare  say. 
Prunella.  Dead  ? 
Coquette.  Now  she  '11  cry. 
Doll.  Oh,  how  unpleasant. 
Tawdry.  I  can't  bear  seeing  people  cry. 
Romp.  If  she  means  to  cry,  she  must  be  sent  away. 
Scaramel.  Baggages,  get  in  ! 
Doll.  I  do  detest  these  scenes. 
Tawdry.  So  inconsiderate. 

Coquette.  People  should  keep  their  self-respect. 
Romp.  I  gave  her  very  good  advice.     But  then  I  'm 

worldly  wise.  [.They  go  into  the  house, 

Scaramel.  Now,   you'd   better  be  getting  along, 

beggar-girl. 

75 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Prunella.  Where? 

ScARAMEL.  That 's  your  business,  isn't  it  ?  Far  be  it 
from  me  to  interfere. 

Prunella.  I  'm  weary. 

ScARAMEL.  You  Can  sit  down  outside. 

Prunella.  I  'm  weary  of  life. 

ScARAMEL.  Ah,  that 's  what  all  you  useless  people 
say. 

Prunella.  Useless? 

ScARAMEL.  JSIy  girl,  no  doubt  you  've  been  pretty  in 
your  time.  .  .  .  Well,  good  looks  as  a  livelihood 
don't  last.  .  .  .  Stir  about,  find  some  other  occupa- 
tion. ...  It 's  useless  maundering  there  about 
what 's  gone ! 

Prunella.  Does  nothing  last  ? 

ScARAMEL.  Nothing  I  know  of. 

Prunella.  Does  love  never  last  ? 

ScARAMEL.  Now  don't  you  know  it  doesn't  ? 

Prunella.  Yes,  I  know.  No,  I  deny  that;  for 
my  love  has  lived, — will  live  for  ever  though  I 
die! 

Scaramel.  Yes,  but  what 's  tlie  use  ? 

Prunella. — As  I  pray  to  die. 

Scaramel.  Ah,  dying  isn't  so  easy  either. 

Prunella.  In  the  spring  my  life  began  ; 
In  the  summer — liappiness ! 
In  the  autumn  let  me  die. 

Scaramel.  Yes,  it 's  a  depressing  time  of  year,  and 
76 


PRUNELLA 

such  an  untidy  one.  Consider  this  garden.  Look  act  hi 
here,  young  woman,  here  's  a  way  for  you  to  be 
useful.  If  you  want  to  earn  twopence — well,  say 
threepence — find  a  broom  and  sweep  up  here. 
It 's  more  than  the  market  value  of  the  work,  but 
no  matter.  Only  be  gone  by  the  time  we  've 
finished  supper,  for  really  you  're  not  fit  to  be 
seen.  D'ye  hear?  Oh  well,  gratitude  is  out  of 
fashion.  If  you  want  the  money,  go  round  for  it 
to  the  back  door.  [Scaramel  goes. 

Prunella  [Stands  dazed  for  a  while  and  then 
speaks'].  No  one  remembers  me.  [She  looks 
round  for  a  broo7fi ;  finding  it,  she  begins  to  sweep 
up  the  leaves.  Then  her  eyes  fall  on  thefoimtain. 
To  the  Statue.] 

Oh  yes  !  you — you — you  must  remember  me, 
For  it  was  you  !     It  was  you  ! 
Why  did  you  speak  ? 
Had  you  no  pity  for  a  heart  so  weak 
As  mine?     Nay,  Love,  what  made  you  do  this 

wrong  ? 
You  spoke,  and  all  the  world  became  a  song, 
And  all  my  heart  a  bird  that  heard  its  mate 
Calling  and  crying  to  it  disconsolate. 
Bidding  me  come ! 
Say  you  remember  me  ! 

[A  burst  of  laughter,  clapping  of  hands,  and 
cries  of 'Bravo'  are  heard  from  the  house. 

77 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  She    turns    to    the    Statue    in    a  frenzy, 

and  falls,   beating  her  hands  against  the 
stone. 
O  stony  youth ! 
Dumb  lips,  blind  eyes, 
Tell  me  the  truth, 
Awake,  arise ! 
Say,  where  does  folly  dwell,  if  Love  be  wise  ? 

[She Jails  half  senseless  at  his  feet.    Love  draws 
his  bow  over  his  viol,  and  speaks. 
Love.  Nay,  hearken  to  the  lips  of  Love ! 
Where  Love  endureth,  all  is  well. 
He  lighteneth  the  stars  above. 
He  holds  the  heavens  beneath  his  spell. 
Even  in  thy  grief  abides  the  sound 
Of  Love  that  girds  the  whole  world  round. 
Prunella.  Dark  is  that   world   henceforth   about 

me ! 
Love.  Yet, 

Couldst  thou  so  will  it,  yet  would  thy  heart  forget 
Its  love  ?  \_A  pause :  she  sobs. 

Nay,  nay, — so  long  hast  thou  been  wise — 
Forsake  not  wisdom  now ! 
Prunella.  Oh  that  mine  eyes 

Could  fail  as  daylight  fails,  and  all  my  breath 
IVIelt  into  air  and  leave  me  alone  with  death  1 
Hast  thou  no  well  of  waters  here,  where  I 
May  drown  my  sorrow  ? 
78 


PRUNELLA 

Love.  Nay,  my  bed  is  dry      act  hi 

For  lack  of  true  love's  tears. 
Prunella.  Here  at  thy  brink 

My  long-stored   griefs  shall  give   thee   tears    to 
drink ! 
Love.  And   having  wept  thy  fill,  what  gift  might 
best 
Afford  thee  comfort  ? 
Prunella.  I  would  be  at  rest 

Where  under  earth  or  sea  it  lies  most  deep  I 
Love.  Here  lay  thee    down !     Cover  thyself  and 
sleep ! 
1 11  be  thy  watcher.     Here  shalt  thou  forget. 
Past  griefs  and  present.     Good-night,  Pierrette  ! 
[Pause :  she  goes  to  the  fountain. 
Prunella.  Good-night,     Love,    and     good-night, 
sorrow ! 

l^She  lies  down  and  covei's  herself  tvith  leaves. 
Love.  Good-night,     Pierrette!       Pierrette,     good- 
morrow  I 

[Sleep   music.     The  light  fades  from  Love's 
face.     INIummers  rush  on,  laughing. 
Here  we  come. 
Several.  -  Look  at  us  ; 

Rowdy  and  rackety ! 
Kennel.  Life 's  none  so  bad  after  supper. 
Callow.  Wine,  wine  is  my  only  love. 
Doll.  And  me,  and  me,  and  me. 

79 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Callow.  You  're  a  good  second. 

Hawk.  I  can  see  now ;  oh !  most  extraordinary- 
things. 

Mouth.  Here  we  come  ! 

Tawdry.  Look  at  us  ! 

Romp.  Rowdy  and  rackety  ! 

ScARAMEL.  That's  right.  Be  merry!  Sing  louder! 
Sing  louder  1     You  're  paid  for  it,  aren't  you  ? 

Kennel.  As  my  joints  unstiffen  so  I  kick,  kick, 
kick. 

Mouth.  Jump  little  Tawdry,  jump  so  high. 

Doll.  What  a  wretched  old  garden  ! 

Hawk.  Who  pulled  it  to  pieces  ?     [Pierrot  enters. 

Pierrot.  Ah,  right,  right,  right !  This  is  youth, 
this  is  youth  ! 

ScARAMEL.  Is  this  as  you  wish  it  ? 

Pierrot.  Is  this  as  it  was  ? 

SCARAMEL.    Almost. 

Pierrot.  Ah,  true.     She  is  not  here. 
ScARAMEL.  Won't  ouc  of  thcsc  do  ? 
Pierrot.  Which  ? 

S  CARAMEL.    Doll?    CoqUCttC  ? 

Pierrot.  If  she  were  dead,  would  not  her  ghost 

haunt  this  garden  ? 
ScARAMEL.  Master ! 
Doll.  Oh,  how  unpleasant! 
Coquette.  Don't  frighten  us. 
Doll.  Things  were  becoming  so  pleasant  again. 
80 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  I  wonder,  could  we  raise  it  ?  act  hi 

ScARAMEL.  ]Master,  be  warned  I 
Mouth.  Here  we  are  ! 
Tawdry.  Look  at  us  ! 

Callow.  Rowdy  and • 

Pierrot.  Sh !     With    due  preparation.     That  was 

her  window.     See,  I  remember. 
Romp.  Oh,  don't  you  do  it! 

Hawk.  What 's  all  this  ?     I  'm  going  blind  again. 
Mouth.  No,  the  night  has  fallen. 
Pierrot.  A  ladder  against  the  window  just  as  once 

upon  a  time. 
ScARAMEL.  Master,  we  don't  believe  in  ghosts. 
Pierrot.  Scaramel,    I'm     getting    tired    of   your 

beliefs.     Do  as  you  're  told.     Also  there  must  be 

moonlight. 
Scaramel.  There 's  no  moon  to-night. 
Pierrot.  Are  you  sure  ?     Put  out  the  torches. 
Doll.  Oh,  not  the  dark,  please  ! 
Coquette.  We  're  very  much  afraid. 
Pierrot.  No  moon  ?  are  you  sure  ?     Memory  and 

magic  surround  us.      \_2'he  torches  are  put  out.] 

We  awake.     [Moonlight.]     It  seems   long  since 

I  saw  the  moon.      Now   quietly,   quietly  about 

your  business — go. 

[The  Mummers  go  off. 
Scaramel.  Master,  let   me   tell  you,  this  is   very 
foolish. 

F  81 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Pierrot.  How  good  to  be  foolish  again ! 

[ScARAMEL  goes  after  the  others.     Pierrot  is 
left  alone  and  despondent. 
Love.  O  you  naughty,  naughty  bird,  now  will  you? 

Come  into  my  garden,  and  I  '11  kill  you  1 
Pierrot  [Ttirns  about,  sta?iled]. 

Who  called  ?     I  thought  that  I  heard  some  one 

cry 
*  Pierrot !    Pierrot,  come  out  and  die  !  * 
Is  no  one  here  at  all  ?        [He  goes  towards  house. 
Love.  No  one. 

Pierrot.  Who 's  there  ? 

What  is  this  echo  answering  me  in  air  ? 

[He  turns.     Love   nods  to  hbn.     Pierrot 
shrinks  back,  shivering  with  fear. 
Love.  So  you  have  come  back  ? 
Pierrot  [Recovering   his  courage^.      So    you   are 

awake  again  ? 
Love.  It  wasn't  you  who  woke  me ! 
Pierrot.  Now,  where  is  she  ?     Say  1 
Love.  What,  have  you  lost  her  ? 
Pierrot.  Well,  I  let  her  go. 
Love.  Wasn't  that  careless  ? 
Pierrot.  Careless,  no  1 
Love.  Cruel,  then  ? 
Pierrot.  Yes,  to  myself. 
Love.  Oh,  self,  self,  self,  still  self! 
Pierrot.  That  is  my  burden ;  take  it  from  me  1 
82 


PRUNELLA 

Love.  Do  you   forget  that   I   am  stone  ?     Call    act  hi 

her. 
Pierrot.  I  have  called — secretly. 
Love.  Not  from  your  heart,  only  for  vanity. 
Pierrot.  All,  all  is  vanity ! 

Love.  So  you  have  found  that  out.     Well,  you  re 
still  tolerably  young.     There 's  hope  in  youth. 
Good-night,  Pierrot. 
Pierrot.  Where  is  she  ?     Answer  me,  speak,  speak, 

I  say ! 
Love.  How  can  I,  when  I  'm  stone,  you  fool  ? 
Pierrot.  You  fool !  [He  sinks  down  in  des2)aif\ 

[The  ^lummers  i^eturn  with  the  ladder. 
Hawk.       Quietly,  quietly. 

Here  comes  the  ladder. 
Kennel.    Rickety,  rackety. 

Mildewed  and  cobweby, 
Half  the  rungs  broken. 
Mouth.     Bats  bodies  hung  on  it, 
Owls  made  a  roost  of  it. 
Rats'  teeth  have  gnawed  it : 
There  in  a  corner  we  found  it  forgotten. 
Callow.    Quietly,  quietly. 
Hawk.       Up  to  the  window  there, 

Rear  it  and  leave  it. 
Romp.  Who  means  to  venture  there  ? 
Coquette.  Who  will  go  up  on  it  ? 
Tawdry.  Who  will  come  down  on  it  ? 

83 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Doll.  Nobody — nobody. 

Pierrot.  Nobody — nobody. 

Hawk.  Who  is  to  tap  at  the  wuidow  now  ? 

Calloav.  I  won't  knock  at  an  empty  house. 

Romp.  Ghosts  might  hear  us  and  hang  out  their 

heads. 
Mouth.  Li   long   white   night-caps  wagging  their 

skulls. 
Doll.  Oh,  don't !     You  frighten  me  I 
Pierrot.  Hush ! 
Kennel.  Yes,  I  liear  something. 
Pierrot.  See ! 

Hawk,  Mouth,  Doll,  Romp.  See,  it  opens. 
Coquette.  Yes. 
^louTH.  No  one  is  there  ! 
Kennel.  But  the  window  is  opening. 
Scaramel.  INIaster,  master,  it  is  only  the  wind. 
Pierrot.  AYell,  it 's  an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  man 

good. 
ScARAMEi>.  That  old  ladder  won't  bear  you  I 
Pierrot.  Let  it  break ! 
Scaramel.  IMaster  !  are  you  insured  ? 
Pierrot.  Go  !  to  the  Devil  who  sent  you !     Take 

your  wage ! 

[ElvU  Scaramel. 
All.  Sleeper,  undo  your  door,  look  out ! 

The  night  wind  blows,  there  are  ghosts  about, — 
Ghosts  underground  and  ghosts  in  air  I 
84 


PIERROT'S    SERENADE 

(FROM    'PRUNELLA') 


Laurence  Housman. 

Moderato. 


:J:gs=;:| 


Joseph  Moorat. 
un  poco  pill  inosso. 


P 


1      r 


pp 


B^it 


^^Sa= 


*= 


i 

1-^- 


-J-:^ 


"-^"T" 


S-- 


ifi: 


zM:! 


:^: 


=qg=qv=1^ 


-P-^-P 


--iL-^-^-li*- 


^^^i:. 


?=£ 


:t=: 


How      now,  ev-ery-where  up  in  air       stars  stare :  On      the        roof 


shines    the 


:=i: 


:=]: 


=1= 


:«:^1:S:^ 


IJ--T- 


lirt- 


* 


VS:i- 


:^: 


-^ — ^v-> 


J=^: 


=iv 


Lit -tie    bird    in    your       nest,    are  you  there,  are   you      there? 


fi^-^ 


_p_^. 


^\ 


i=P=P: 


i 


f 


p==^ 


1 


::^ 


i:^ 


=1: 


t 


:=;: 


(^f:^ 


=1= 


ten. 


--N- 


-fi^- 


'^^ 


Up,        song,     to     her        cham  -  ber     go :    say 


low. 


Down        be 


low, 


Thy 


i^: 


:-n 


.^__K_>__jv 


:^=i: 


:^=S: 


i=i^=i=:  :=t2=^=i^=^: 


love 


begs        a     boon.' 


Lit  -  tie  bird   in  your     nest,  are    you  there,  are    you 


^— i^f— f= — ^    1      F ^'      = — ^r— 


f 


3" 


1^ 


piu  mosso. 


^    /^7?/<7. 


;;z/ 


/> 


:=i: 


=]=]s: 


Say, 


:i:i=:i: 


:*=^ 


V^W- 


'  Take         no     rest ! ' 


:l^z#*zzt^=:^=t^=&= 


-^=^ 


t^—;^-ziz 


'^^^^M=i^E^ 


Lit  -  tie        bird     in   your  nest,  are    you 
-.  >  > 

j^ . — h s- 


cres.  accel. 


dove,  bird     of     Love,      are       you   there,         are       you    there? 


I        v\         \      I       ^     _\         I        u' I       I        r 

/^  7      — == -~  ~  7'itar. 


cres.  'P   accel. 


appassionato. 
4L- 


^^^^Si=ii 


:iq: 


:> 


dim. 


Hour        of    night,   at     her      bow  -  er    go  beat:  say,  'Sweet, now    a   -    rise,"   Time        flies!      O 

r-| 1 i=J:=l=J==t=^:z=:aa=:^J 


iti 


4^: 


i; 


1^=1^ 


]v:-q: 


-P— ^ 


:qv 


-K — K 


Love, 


are    you     there. 


S^F 


are    you     there  ? 


Un  -  do     and     re  - 


^rj^  /tJ^n  jS^i     i^h-^^71  ^*r-^^ 


:& 


-T 1 

:::=t= 


-r 


:t: 


i 


J^^L 


:t==i: 


m^^^mm 


:n=?s^ 


=ls=1»»-=lv: 


zz^z 


-9- \- 


new     to     the  night  the      light     of  your  bright  blue    eyes  ! 


3z=i^z= J-:  := J=;ij|— J=:i^=* 


For    the       man    in      the  moon     is 


f 


^Z^. 


tEZ^E3E3Z3ZEZE:EBZ 


dim. 


?;{/"  /r;?. 


here. 


lSi=^ 


Do  you  hear?  He    is      here!  Do    you  hear?  He     is        here! 


s 


r^i ^— I — \—m-^ 


t: 


I I L_^ 


--ZX- 


111 


V. 


^' 


=Z]=q: 


=4: 


::fc 


:a b 


-'^A^-^^ — \ 1 — I — T'^-i-H — I— -n-o 


PRUNELLA 

Pierrot.  Little  bird,  in  your  nest,  are  you  there  ?     act  hi 
All.  Under  the  leaves  small  skeletons  hang, — 
Skeleton  leaves  where  the  birds  once  sang. 
Come  down  now,  and  be  one  of  the  gang  ! 
Pierrot.  Love,    Love,   are   you    there  ?    are    you 

there  ? 
All.  Ferret  her  out,  however  decayed. 

Old  and  decrepit :  here  once  lived  a  maid  : — 
Honey  her  heart  was. 
Pierrot.  Love,  are  you  there  ? 
All.  Walls  are  to  climb  and  windows  to  break. 
Sleep  all  day,  but  at  night  lie  awake. 
Lest  under  the  shadow  thieves  enter  and  take ! 
Pierrot.  Sleep,    sleep,    for    God's     sake    let    her 
wake ! 

Love,  Love,  are  you  there  ? 

[Rushes  up  ladder. 
No  one  is  there,  I  am  alone. 
Pierrette  I     Pierrette  !     Pierrette  I 
Coquette.  Come  away ! 
Taavdry.  I  daren't  look. 
Doll.  He  frightens  me. 

[Prunella  rises  from  the  fountain. 
Romp.  Oh,  look,  look,  look  I 
Doll.  Oh,  let 's  get  away  I 
Coquette.  It  is  her  ghost ! 
Tawdry.  Look,  she  is  coming  up  out  of  the  ground. 

Oh! 

85 


ACT  III 


PRUNELLA 

'  Oh  yes,  it  is  she !     It  is  she  I 
Several.    Don't  stay  here  any  longer  I 
Let's  run,  let 's  run  I 
[Exeunt  all  except  Pierrot  and  Prunella. 
Prunella.  Pierrot,  come  down !    Pierrot,  lift  up 
your  head. 
Come  from    your   cage,   come  down  I      Pierrot, 

they  said 
That  you  did  not  remember  me  at  all  I 
And  yet  out  of  my  sleep  I  heard  you  call 
My  name ! 

And  when  you  called — I  came. 
[He  descends,  and  stands  gazing  at  her  motionless. 
Pierrot  [JVJiispei's'].     Pierrette!     Pierrette  I 
Prunella.  It  is  I,  Pierrot  I 

Pierrot.  Living  or  dead,  which  art  thou  ? 
Prunella.  Wouldst  thou  know, 

Draw  near  and  see  I 

\_A  pause.     Pierrot  tiies  to  advance,  hut  fails. 
Pierrot.  Pierrette,  my  feet  are  slow 

For  very  shame  :  better  on  knees  to  go. 

[He  kneels. 
Now — if  thou  livest — for  a  sign  stretch  out 
Thy  hand  toward  me  I     Leave  me  not  in  doubt  I 

[She  remains  motionless. 
So,  is  it  so  ?     To  meet  when  parted  most  I 
Dead,  thou  art  dead  I     And  there  now  stands  thy 
ghost. 
86 


PRUNELLA 

Alas,  sweet  ghost !  what   dost  thou  here  with  act  hi 

me. 
Robbing  the  dead  of  thy  dear  company  ? 
Go  back  where  peace   is;  for  no  peace  dwells 
here. 
Prunella.  I  stay  with  Love  to  look  on  thee,  my 

dear. 
Pierrot.  Can  death   such    pity  to   the  dead   be- 
queath ? 
I     have    no    right   of   breath   where    thou   dost 

breathe ; 
No  cause  to  look  on  life,  except  thou  see 
The  light  of  day  which  I  destroyed  for  thee. 
Prunella.  A  little  weeping,  Pierrot,  does  not  blind 

The  eyes  of  love. 
Pierrot.  Ah  me,  too  bitter  kind. 

Too  ghostly  gentle  in  thy  speech  thou  art  1 
Peace  be  to  thy  sweet  soul ! 
Prunella.  Peace  to  thy  heart ! 

Living  or  dead,  I  love  thee. 
Pierrot.  Say,  then,  why 

Camest  thou  here  ?     To  tell  me  I  must  die  ? 
Is  it  to-night  ?  {Eagerly. 

Prunella.  To-night  were  choice  made  free, 

Wouldst    thou    give    up  thy  life   to    come   to 
me? 
Pierrot.  Yea,  I  will  come.    Yea,  I  will  come  ! 

{He  7ises  to  his  feet, 
87 


PRUNELLA 

ACT  III  Pruxeixa.  Beware  I 

If  you  but  touch  me,  all  I  am,  you  share 
For  life,   or   death  !      So   choose   as  you  would 
be! 
Pierrot.  I  will   do   so.     Yea,  let  the  worms  eat 
me. 
If  now  in  that  pure  breast  corruption  eats  I 
Thou    smilest,    am    I    dead  ? — It    beats !       It 
beats ! 
Prunella.  For  thee,  only  for  thee.     Quick  to  thy 
nest, 
Thou    weary    wandering    bird,    and    there   take 
rest  1 

[Pierrot  drops  his  head  on  to  her  breast^ 
and  sobs. 
Nay,  nay,  lift  up  thy  head,  look  not  so  ill ! 
Earth  is  sweet  under  us,  the  stars  shine  still. 
Look  how  they  number  them  !     Look  how  they 
glow  ! 
Pierrot.  It  is  for  Pierrette — not  for  Pierrot ! 

[Light  begins  to  increase  in  the  garde7i,  and 
the  singing  of  birds  is  heard. 
Prunella.  Hush  I  hush !   the  birds  are  waking  in 
the  night ; 
They  sing  of  thee  and  me,  and  our  delight ! 
Pierrot.  'Tis  not  the  birds :   it  is  the  stars  that 
sing; 
Nay,  not  the  stars,  nor  any  mortal  thing, 
88 


PRUNELLA 

Either  in  earth  beneath  or  heaven  above ;  act  hi 

The  song  thou  hearest  is  the  song  of  Love  ' 
Hark !     Look ! 

[  They  turn  to  the  Statue,  xdiich  is  again  flooded 
with  light.  Love's  head  is  raised,  and  he 
pUiys  upon  his  viol,  while  all  the  garden 
grows  loud  with  song.] 


THE  END 


89 


Printed  by  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Printers  to  His  Majesty 
at  the  Edinburgh  University  Press 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


OCT    17  1933 


OCT  18  1933 


OCT    19  1933 


MAY  24   1935 


\\M"N 


9. 


r»  ^936 


Apr    8  1939 


3/^^ 


4/^/. 


^ 


NOV   %  9  13G3 


DEC  0  0  2001 


JUN   27  1939 


^.^y  .^  1 1 


NOV  15  1988 


LD  21-100m-7,'33 


•  ^       c 


575484 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


"H 


UC.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 

ill 


coob7ma45 


^ 


uJkL 


